HOW FIN SPLIT HIS FAMILY TIES

Scots’ lure was never on the cards for England ace Smith

- By Adam Hathaway

FIN SMITH revealed there was no chance he would ever pull on a Scotland jersey, despite being eligible for Gregor Townsend's squad through family.

Smith's parents, Andrew and Jude, are both from north of the border, while grandad Tom Elliot propped for Scotland and toured South Africa with the Lions in 1955.

But Smith is set to line up for England against Finn Russell and his Scots in next Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash - causing divided loyalties in Smith clan.

The fly-half Smith, now 22, did have chats with head coach Townsend, right, as a teenager about going on a tour to South America with his side.

But as a product of the Midlands, Warwick School and an Aston Villa fan who had been brought up as English, he was never making the switch.