#3. Marcus Smith (England)
Telegraph 5/10: “Lord he was in the wars. Whether having Semi Radradra bouncing him in the tackle, Josua Tuisova ragdolling him, or going for an HIA, Smith showed huge heart. Jury out whether he will stay at full back for the semi-final.”
Rugby Pass 6.5/10: “Picked for just his second start in the full-back position, he worked well with some early ball but got caught on a run from inside his own half with England 8-0 up and that turnover resulted in a missed Fijian shot at the posts. Soon took a smack to the head from the yellow-carded Vinaya Habosi on a carry in the lead-up to the Marchant try. Returned to resume playing a very capable part in the win despite the need for further on-pitch running repairs.”
Planet Rugby 6/10: “As Steve Borthwick predicted, Fiji didn’t test his aerial skills, but Smith didn’t really cut loose. Conceded one penalty when trying to counter, but he did mop up well at times and that extra pair of eyes helped Owen Farrell.”
Evening Standard 6/10: “Rode out one extremely risky break and dealt with a broken nose to add just enough poise to England’s back-field set-up.”
Mail Online 5/10: “Battered and bruised in the contact area, with blood pouring down his face. Tackling in the backfield very different to front-line defending as he found out the hard way.”