RUMOUR | The latest on Marcus Smith's proposed move to Lyon

Friday, 29 January 2021 at 13:39

byRugby Rucker

Marcus Smith has reportedly rejected the chance to move to the Top14 in a bid to keep his international career alive.

According to Midi Olympique, Lyon have failed in their attempt to lure the Harlequins to France and have since turned their attentions to other targets including Munster's JJ Hanrahan.

The 21-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer, reportedly turned down a two-year contract worth £1.5m. Quins are hopeful of keeping him, but there is also reported interest from Bath and Sale Sharks.

Smith became the second-youngest Premiership debutant in history, behind George Ford, when making his Harlequins bow against London Irish aged 18 years and 200 days in September 2017.

The fly-half made 28 appearances for Harlequins in all competitions during the 2017/18 season scoring three tries on his way to 208 points.

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He was named as an apprentice in the England party for the Old Mutual Wealth series that autumn and continued in that role during the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations.

He featured for the England XV side that beat the Barbarians 51-43 at Twickenham in May 2019, scoring 26 of those points in a stand-out performance.

DID YOU KNOW? Born in the Philippines to a British father and a Filipina mother, Smith picked up the game of rugby union at the age of seven with Centaurs RFC when his family moved to Singapore.

RANKED | 5 players who were most unlucky to be left out by Eddie Jones

Here, RUCK.co.uk gives our list of the five Gallagher Premiership players who were most unlucky to miss out on the 2021 England Six Nations squad…

5. Adam Radwan (Newcastle Falcons)

Position: Wing
Club: Newcastle Falcons
Age: 23

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Jonny May has underwhelmed since rejoining the Cherry & Whites while Radwan has been a standout star for the high-flying Falcons. The Newcastle flyer, who was the top-scorer in the Championship last season, put the England winger on his ass twice as the two went head-to-head at Kingston Park recently. Would have been an exciting call-up, but no dice.

4. Marcus Smith (Harlequins)

Position: Fly-half
Club: Harlequins
Age: 21

Named as an apprentice in the England party for the 2018 NatWest Six Nations, the dynamic fly-half then starred for the England XV side that beat the Barbarians 51-43 at Twickenham in May 2019, scoring 26 of those points in a stand-out performance. However, despite his stellar form for Harlequins, he's since been in the international wilderness with no sign of a recall from Eddie Jones.

DID YOU KNOW? Smith is the second youngest debutant featured in the Aviva Premiership at 18 years and 200 days old whose record is behind George Ford.

3. Joe Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)

Position: Fly-half
Club: Exeter Chiefs
Age: 24

The fly-half was the man of the match in Exeter’s Champions Cup victory over Racing 92 and had another perfect day with the boot in their Premiership final win over Wasps a week later. What more he has to do to be called-up?

DID YOU KNOW? Simmonds was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to rugby union football.

2. Jack Willis (Wasps)

Position: Flanker
Club: Wasps
Age: 24

Named in the shadow squad, but was a high-profile omission from the main group. Played a stand-out role in Wasps’ march to the Premiership final in the 2019-2020 season, winning an astonishing 46 turnovers over the course of the campaign, and scooping the Rugby Players’ Association Player of the Season award, the Breakthrough Player of the Season award, and the Premiership Rugby Player of the Season award. How is he not in the squad?!

DID YOU KNOW? He started his academy life with London Irish before joining Wasps

1. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs)

Position: Number 8
Club: Exeter Chiefs
Age: 26

He’s a bit of a renegade, but with eight tries in the Premiership already, the calls for an international recall continue to grow. Hopefully, talent prevails, but in this case, it’s more likely that Eddie Jones ignores fans and carries on with Saracens back-rower Vunipola, whose only appearance of late was a shock defeat against Ealing Trailfinders.

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