Smith shows England class to sink Bath late and save playoff hopes

The referee's whistle blew and Northampton's director of rugby, Phil Dowson, flashed up on the big screen, allowing himself a smile.

- Gerard Meagher

With the clock in the red and Northampton trailing by two points, they had just been awarded a penalty, within range, and such is Dowson's faith in Fin Smith, he knew his outstanding fly-half would not miss this one.

Perhaps it is time for Steve Borthwick to show a little more faith in Smith because here was another demonstration of the 22-year-old's talents. He had missed a couple of kicks, needed the help of a post for another but there was little doubt he would secure the victory Northampton so desperately sought, inflicting a first league defeat in seven matches on Bath in the process.

Smith also had a hand in all four of Northampton's tries and produced arguably the tackle of the match on Miles Reid. He is yet to start for England and though namesake Marcus is the incumbent, Fin's case is growing stronger by the week.

"Not my best game," was his self-deprecating analysis but his thought process for the telling kick pulled back the curtain on his mindset. "I wasn't super confident over it but I have kicked hundreds of thousands of balls in the last five to 10 years so I went back to that. I tried to picture myself at the local rugby club kicking a ball and really relax to block out everything and thank God it went over."