MARC OF QUALITY

Smith gets Italian job done for Borthwick

- by ADAM HATHAWAY

JOB done for England and job done for Marcus Smith as Steve Borthwick's side kept themselves in the Six Nations title race.

Smith was dropped to the bench for this fixture, with boss Borthwick saying this week he was relishing seeing him run against tired Italians.

Instead, when Ollie Lawrence popped his Achilles after eight minutes, Smith was thrust on as full-back. And while Lawrence (inset) now faces a race against time to be fit for the Lions tour this summer, Smith might just have rescued his chances of joining the tour Down Under.

The 26-year-old has lost his No.10 jersey to Fin Smith but showed he still has a part to play with an all-court display off the bench.

Yes, it was only Italy, who shipped 73 points to France in the last round, but they have proved a tough nut to crack before and Marcus Smith helped England avoid a banana skin.