Harlequins will be making the short but now famous walk from the Stoop to Twickenham Stadium, as they take on Bath Rugby in Saturday’s ‘Big Summer Kick-Off’. Marcus Smith will be back at the Home of English Rugby, and discussed the hotly anticipated match during today’s Harlequins press conference.
The match at the ‘Big Stoop’ is the ultimate last home game of the season for Harlequins, and is lining up to be an exciting send off for Smith in the famous quarters. The enigmatic fly half led the line with great aplomb in Quins’ last trip to Twickenham Stadium, starring in a Player of the Match performance, as Harlequins despatched Exeter Chiefs 40-5 in March’s ‘Big Game 14’.
Smith discussed how Quins put together a winning formula for the match against Exeter, and the importance of a successful send off with the Harlequins fans.
“We’ve got a massive emphasis on this game in terms of (it’s) the last time, the last opportunity we have in front of our fans, in front of our friends and family. And we know, and we believe, that when we put our best foot forward, and play the game style that we want to play, it’s pretty tough to live with.
“Obviously, we need to work on the consistency piece. But that’s something that if you look at squad now, it’s a different squad to what we had two years ago. So we’re in a different phase of our development and we’re improving. So hopefully this weekend we can kick on again, and deliver a good performance at Twickenham.”
“I think firstly, it’s confidence through the week. Thinking back to that Exeter week, there was a lot of focus, there was a lot of desperation in that performance, because I don’t think results were going our way before that. And when our outside backs are confident, when they want the ball, when they’re calling for the ball, they’re unbelievable in the wide channels.
“The way that they physically dominate the opposition, the way they can offload, the way they can bosh people in front of them, it’s a pleasure to be throwing them the ball. And as well as that, our forwards again, I think it was a long time before that we started scoring some mauls, we started getting some ascendancy on that front, and I think it was sort of a perfect storm that game.”
“Obviously, there’s a bit of luck. But you do make your luck as well. If you work hard, and if you’re positive with the ball, I think you do make your luck.”
That starring role against the Chiefs came in the middle of a ‘rollercoaster’ fortnight for the 24-year-old. After a sub-par run in Steve Borthwick’s England team, Smith played under a minute against Wales and was subsequently dropped from the training group, who had coincidentally descended on Smith’s former school of Brighton College.
The Harlequin returned to his club, and bossed the aforementioned match against Exeter, before returning to the England team for an eventual start against France. Smith articulated his response confidentially, and told-all from that hectic two weeks, including how despite his best efforts ‘it didn’t go to plan’ against ‘Les Bleus’ in the 2023 Guinness Six Nations.
“So post the Wales game, I only played about a minute, I think. And in the lead up to that I didn’t play that much as well. Obviously, I started the Scotland game, and then I think I played for 10 minutes against Italy. So I spoke to Steve (Borthwick) and we spoke about getting some more game time under my belt, getting some more rhythm.
“So he sent me back to Quins, with a couple of things to work on and I got my teeth into that Quins’ week. Tried to add to the team as much as I could, tried to enjoy myself as much as I could, because that’s really important to me. And, to play that game, which was massively important for the club in terms of financially, with the amount of people that were at the game, as well as for our league position.
“I enjoyed that day a lot, and to be able to play at Twickenham again, as I said, was massively exciting. And then that Sunday, I think I got called to come back into camp on the Monday. And then I was told, I think on a Tuesday or Wednesday that was starting (against France) and it was pretty rollercoaster a couple of weeks to be honest, emotionally.
“But like I said, I think if I was put in that situation five years ago I would have dealt with it very differently. I would have been like a like a ‘rabbit in headlights’ as opposed to (now). I was pretty calm. I was composed, I was very excited for that France opportunity.
“Because last season, we had a close game against them, away, In their Grand Slam game. I made a few errors that cost us the game. So I was desperate to play against the best team in the world again. Obviously, that game didn’t go to plan, and I was gutted after that for a few days. So that’s how I’d sum up those two weeks.”
For just 24-years-old, Smith carries upmost responsibility, with expectations on him resembling a proven veteran far beyond his years. This isn’t Smith’s first rodeo at Twickenham Stadium, but he still savours the rare moments for a lifetime of Quins memories. He discussed the unique feeling of walking over from the Stoop, whilst surrounded by the Harlequins fans, in a sea of light blue, red, brown and grey.
“They’re unbelievable (the walks over from the Stoop). As I said, I think we’re in a lucky position to play for Harlequins and be able to do that walk, see how well supported we are, as we walk across there. It gets the hairs on the back of your neck tingling, and being able to put a smile on so many people’s faces is what I enjoy doing. Seeing the excitement that they have for us to play at Twickenham is brilliant.
“And to be able to walk across there, see your family before you leave the Stoop, and then head across knowing you’ve got a job to do, and a performance to deliver is exciting. You’re a bit anxious walking across, but as you get closer to Twickenham, the excitement builds, and I think you become more and more ready for kick off.
“I think when you see how passionate the fans are, to see your play, I think it makes everyone step up a gear. As you said, there’s not many players who get the privilege to play at Twickenham, and for some of the boys, especially the young boys, it’s a taste of hopefully what’s to come for them in the future. Not just in a Quins shirt, but for England as well.
“Some of them ask you stuff in the week, but all I try and say to them is enjoy the experience, enjoy everything about it. From the walk, from the changing rooms, to running out with all the fireworks before the game. Because I think when you retire you remember those moments, and we’re very privileged to do it because there’s not many people in the world who are able to do that.”
Looking ahead to Bath, Smith recognised the calibre of the opposition set to travel over from Somerset this weekend. The Blue, Black and Whites are re-finding their form, having won their last two matches back-to-back. Confident wins against West Country rivals Exeter and Gloucester send Bath to Twickenham firing on all cylinders, and Smith identified how there are threats presented from one to 15.
“Firstly, the way they’ve been playing I’ve watched a couple of the last few games. They’ve been extremely physical, they’ve been extremely confrontational. You look at their forward pack they’ve got internationals across the pack, who have many skills that we need to nullify.
“You look, (Sam) Underhill’s back now, you look at their front row Tom Dunn, Beno Obano, Will Stuart. So our forwards have got an important part in this game. They’ve got to be able to get dominance there. And then if you look at their backs, they’ve got some electric backs who if you give them time and space, they’re able to cut you up. So guys like Ollie Lawrence, guys like Joe Cockanasiga, Max Ojomah, Tom de Glanville. It’s endless, you know, the list.
“So we’ve got to be right on our metal in terms of our defence, but in attack as well. We’ve got to be hot on our roles at the breakdown, we’ve got to be quick to stop there jackal threats across the field. And if we do that, hopefully we get good speed of ball and we can score some points. But as I said, it’s going to be a tough game this weekend, because they’ve got a lot of quality in their team.”
Harlequins and Bath take centre stage at 15:00, for the Big Summer Kick Off at Twickenham Stadium. Special Guests the Kaiser Chiefs will also be lighting up the crowd, with a half-time performance to remember.