Marcus Smith sets England tone for South Africa Nations Championship opener
The Harlequins playmaker says England will start fast at Ellis Park as Steve Borthwick's side launch the new global competition against the world champions.
Daniel Fletcher
Writer ·
Marcus Smith has framed England's trip to South Africa as a chance to make an immediate statement in the new Nations Championship, with the 36-man squad due in Johannesburg before a demanding opener against the world champions.
Altitude, long-haul travel and South Africa's physical power all form part of the test, but Smith said England intend to start fast and leave everything on the field.
Background
The Nations Championship is designed to give July internationals higher stakes, and a first-round visit to Ellis Park gives the tournament instant weight. Fixtures against Fiji and Argentina follow.
Defence coach Richard Wigglesworth has played down the travel challenge, while South Africa's Rassie Erasmus warned that England's young players already carry serious Test experience.
What happens next
A strong start at altitude would give Borthwick's squad a sharper edge heading into the rest of the campaign, and set an early marker in a competition built to raise the stakes of the summer schedule.
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