In a surprising revelation, England’s fly-half sensation, Marcus Smith, has disclosed a unique tradition he upholds whenever he dons the jersey for Steve Borthwick’s squad.
The 24-year-old, whose roots trace back to the Philippines with a Filipino mother and a British father, shared that he proudly sports the flag of his birthplace each time he takes the field.
Having spent the formative eight years of his life in the Philippines, Smith’s commitment to his heritage shines through in this symbolic gesture on the rugby pitch.
Speaking on the recent Six Nations Netflix documentary, Smith said: “I wear my lucky pants, which have got a half English flag and a half Filipino flag.
“I make sure I wear them so I remember where I’ve come from and who I’m playing for.”
Smith has previously has expressed his aspiration to become involved in Philippine rugby once his current Test career with England concludes.
According to the current World Rugby eligibility rules, Smith could potentially represent the Philippines after a three-year stand-down period.
During an Ask Me Anything session with England, Smith was questioned about his interest in representing the Philippines.
“One day I’d love to help and be involved in Philippine rugby, my brother currently plays for the Philippines,” the 30-cap England international said.
“Obviously my heart and my mind are fully with England at the minute, it’s a dream of mine to be wearing this kit right now.
“One day that might be different, or when I retire from here, if I get that opportunity, if my body still holds up, it would be lovely to play with both of my younger brothers.”
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Nigel Owen’s law changes for 2024:
#1. Less TMO
Owens wrote: “We should aim for good performances that facilitate good games. In my opinion, perfect has become the enemy of the good because people are striving for a standard that is unachievable. A frustrating over-reliance on the TMO is one result of this fear of getting things wrong.
“Pressure is being exerted on referees by spectators, social media users, coaches, players, performance reviewers and referee managers. That is a lot of people scrutinising everything. I think we need to take a step back and make sure we pick up the things that matter.”
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