In the FB argument everyone's getting het up about individual players' merits, largely overlooking the value of units - players understanding what others will do, instinctively understanding their running patterns, how to work best as a team to cover weaknesses etc. It's kind of important….
In the 6N Steward was paired with 3 separate wing combos:
Malins and OHC twice
Malins and Watson twice
Watson and Arundell
Precisely none of whom are playing any meaningful part in the RWC.
Then we move to the warm ups where he was paired with:
Malins and Coka
Arundell and Daly
Watson and Daly
Malins and May
So that's what, 7 separate wing combos in 9 games.
At the RWC he then gets further new combinations in May & Daly (twice!) and May & Marchant. So, a scarcely believable 9 combos in 12 games….and only Watson out through injury. That's just this year - and just starters before the disruptions of subs - beyond ludicrous!
No great surprise if Steward looks like his confidence is shot and needs to reintroduce his backside to his elbow.
And that's before you even think about the revolving **** show that's our midfield, which also has direct effects on the FB. Against Samoa it was a defensive sieve, while kicking so much gives few attacking chances - we saw what Steward can do in the build up to Chessum's try.
That's not a backdrop to encourage high performance - you'd need to be the love child of Serge Blanco and Christian Cullen to cope with that. Steward's not, and nor's Smith.
Smith may get away with it tomorrow, but we're basically asking him for a Hail Mary. Still, at least in our considered, detailed preparation, in his only ever start at FB Smith was paired with…… Arundell and Malins neither of whom is even in the 23.
#bestofbritishmarcus
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for the best. Hence we got a midfield of Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes which with hindsight was never going to work, especially Lampard and Gerrard who were too similar. 
