New Harlequins coach Tabai Matson faces many unknowns in his attempt to take the club to new heights this season, but he can be certain Marcus Smith will have a pivotal role to play.
The maverick fly-half is embracing his role as the prospering prodigal son of The Stoop, capping last season’s Premiership title with summer debuts for England and the British and Irish Lions.
Matson’s arrival has been somewhat bittersweet in that while just about any coach might like to take over England’s reigning champions, that could lead to unrealistic expectations in the short term.
And similarly, Smith’s impressive progress for club and country are sure to earn him even more attention from selectors, leaving his new coach under no illusions that more call-ups will come.
"If Marcus was here all year, I'd be disappointed in a manner. He's exciting and I think all of English rugby is excited about his potential,” Matson told reporters.
”To be 22 and having played 100 Premiership matches is a phenomenal achievement. It shows a number of things such as his durability.
"Clearly he's quality. I'm not going to say he's a world-class player yet, but he's definitely got the potential to go to another level which is exciting for the club. He's definitely tracking in the right direction.
"Being a superstar is often based around longevity and we need to see if he can pull on that white jersey and play in it for five or six years, because that's really where he should be playing.
"It's a double-edged sword for Quins because on the back of our success you promote people to play for their country, which is what you want.
"We need to find ways to adapt and fill very big boots when he leaves."
Former Bath boss Matson, 48, has a tall order in retaining the Premiership title after Quins ended a nine-year wait for the league crown, particularly as Saracens return to England’s first tier.
The mission is further complicated by the fact Smith, 22, will miss the start of their campaign in line with stand-down protocol Lions tourists are required to serve following the series defeat in South Africa.
Matson said his star playmaker won’t be available to feature until the Round 4 clash with Bristol Bears on October 8, meaning Smith will miss Premiership fixtures against Newcastle and Worcester.
That will give coach and players alike a chance to assess their set-up without Smith, with new signing Tommaso Allan and Tyrone Green being next in line for the No. 10 jersey.
It’s practice they will need considering Smith is likely to rejoin Eddie Jones ’ England squad for the upcoming autumn internationals against Tonga, Australia and South Africa.
The Quins academy graduate was called into Warren Gatland 's Lions squad as injury cover for Finn Russell.
He failed to make the Test squad in South Africa but looked mightily impressive in a warm-up win over the Stormers.
Smith made his England debut in a victory over the United States at the start of July, kicking nine conversions when they pummelled Canada at Twickenham a week later.
The youngster’s impressive form has even led to calls that he should replace captain Owen Farrell as fly-half for the Red Rose, bringing rare athleticism and playmaking to the position.
Harlequins are blessed to have numerous established internationals among their squad, and it comes with the territory that many of those players could be called up by their nations come November.
Matson is sure to see several of his stars join up with England at that time, but no one absence is likely to hurt the team’s output quite as much as that of his talismanic fly-half.
