Smith was part of the England Under-20 side which claimed a Six Nations clean sweep in 2021 but remains eligible for both nations at senior level. England head coach Eddie Jones is monitoring Smith's performances at club levelSmith was born in Warwick but his grandfather Tom Elliot played for Scotland and the Lions. ‘The opportunity to play international rugby is massive, ’ said Smith, who is balancing his burgeoning rugby career with an economics degree at the Open University over a six-year period. ‘My family is all Scottish so there is support from that side. I don’t think I’m at the stage of my career just yet to be making any decisions.
The ground on which he treads is unsteady to say the least. The Gallagher Premiership has been thrown into turmoil this season by financial chaos. Smith knows that better than most. Now in his third campaign at senior level, he has already experienced more than many players do in their whole careers. The talented fly-half made his Worcester debut at 18 and has a junior Six Nations grand slam with England on his CV. Fin Smith is just 20-years-old but is proving himself in English Premiership rugby this season English-born Smith has starred for Northampton after making the switch from WorcesterThis year, he was made unemployed by the demise of the Warriors – a club he joined at 13 – before quickly being snapped up by Northampton who have opted not to renew the contract of Wales captain Dan Biggar in the crucial position of No 10.
And with Biggar exploring an immediate move to French giants Toulon, he is set to be the future of the Saints back-line. It was only last year that Biggar was seen handing out words of advice to Smith after Northampton hammered Worcester in a clip that went viral on social media. Wasps have followed Worcester, who were the first Premiership club to enter administration ‘I’ve thought about it and I can’t view it as me replacing Dan, ’ Smith said. ‘Any replacement for one of the best fly-halves in the world is going to be a slight downgrade! I’ve got to look at it as a massive opportunity. Northampton are looking to the future so hopefully in a few years I can be playing at somewhere near that level and pushing for the heights Dan is at now.
How to watch Gloucester Rugby v Northampton Saints live on TVAre you a massive Gloucester Rugby fan? If so, you can now get all the latest Cherry and Whites news for FREE at the touch of a button on your phone. Gloucestershire Live is packed full of Gloucester Rugby news and opinions but this new service will give you the chance to hear about it first with Chief South West Rugby Writer John Evely providing regular updates on all the big stories straight to your inbox. Among the things you can expect are transfer news, interviews, match reports, injury updates, team news and live blogs. You could even use it to ask him a question.
“We always talk about wanting competition within the squad, and I am really excited to see Fin, James Grayson, and Dan Biggar push each other and make each other better as they compete for the number 10 jersey at Saints. ” Smith joins a Northampton side who lost three of their opening four league matches and appeared on course to go down to yet another defeat against Wasps on Sunday, but produced a stunning late response to snatch the win. The Saints came from 36-28 behind with two minutes remaining to emerge 40-36 victorious, which moved them up to sixth in the Premiership. Long history of success Smith said: “I’m really excited to sign on with Northampton Saints – a club with a long history of success, and a very talented coaching group who encourage the squad to express themselves and play a fantastic brand of rugby. “I’ve been lucky enough to play a couple of matches at Franklin’s Gardens already, and the atmosphere around the ground is always electric – and the pitch is flawless.
Premiership: English starlet Fin Smith joins Northampton from WorcesterNorthampton Saints have announced the signing of talented English fly-half Fin Smith, who joins from Worcester Warriors on a long-term deal. Due to all the contracts of Worcester players being cancelled after WRFC Players Ltd was liquidated, the 20-year-old is free to join with immediate affect. Smith excelled for England at U20 level and enjoyed plenty of first team experience while at the Warriors. The youngster will initially battle for a place in the squad with Dan Biggar and James Grayson but, with the Wales international set to depart at the end of the season, he is seen as a long-term project. Skill set and attitude “Fin is definitely a player who has been on our radar for a long time, and the whole coaching group are big admirers of his, ” Northampton’s director of rugby Phil Dowson said. “He is someone that always takes the ball to the line, makes good decisions from an attacking point of view, has a bit of flair about him with an offloading game, and is incredibly brave and tough in defence.
All you have to do is sign up to Gloucestershire Live’s relaunched WhatsApp service. First of all, make sure you have WhatsApp on your phone – it is free to download if you haven’t got it already. If you would like to sign up, simply save the number 07715 770289 to your phone (you must do this to receive our messages), then send GLAWS RUGBY in a message to that number via WhatsApp. We recommend saving the contact to your mobile as 'Gloucester Rugby News'. You will then be added to our Gloucester Rugby chat group and receive links to all of our big stories direct to your mobile. Your number will not be used for any other purpose other than to inform you of the latest Gloucester Rugby news.
‘I need to disassociate from the idea I’m going to be at British & Irish Lions level straight away. ’Smith continued: ‘Everyone has been joking Dan was telling me to come to Northampton when we had that chat. It was him putting his arm around me because he’d seen what a tough night I’d had. Smith will replace Wales international Dan Biggar who will leave the club next year‘I’ve got massive respect for him for helping me like that. When we played Northampton six months later, I got knocked out. He came and sat with me in the doctor’s room after the match.
A new chapter is now underway. ‘I’m incredibly fortunate to be in the position I’m in, ’ Smith said. ‘But it is a bit bittersweet. Smith admitted he feels angry at Worcester owners for overseeing the club's collapse‘You have to look after yourself in times like this but I’ve also got 20 or 30 mates from Worcester who I spent three or four years with who are in a pretty diabolical situation. ‘You can only hope for them that improves. It’s hard for me to look totally to the future knowing they are in the situation they are. ’Smith’s Northampton bow couldn’t have gone much better as he kicked five conversions and a penalty in an impressive 45-31 win over Bristol.
‘I’ve been joking with him he was using me to look like the good guy! ’Smith tasted NatWest Cup glory at Twickenham with Warwick School and also played junior club rugby for Shipston-on-Stour. He is one of English rugby’s brightest prospects and is now part of an enterprising and young Northampton back-line which could represent the Saints for years to come. Smith has already caught the eye of England head coach Eddie Jones, but Scotland boss Gregor Townsend is also an admirer.
“Everyone from within the Worcester and England U20 environments has nothing but good things to say about him. He seems to have a really good variation on his kicking game as well, and when you meet him in person you can see how mature, driven and ambitious he is. “If you put that sort of skill set together with that attitude, you’ve got a really high-potential player who is really keen to compete – but at the age of just 20 he’s got a lot of learning and growing to do as well.
Northampton Saints (@SaintsRugby) / Twitter
I can’t wait to compete for the opportunity to run out there week in, week out. “Speaking to the club’s coaches, the ambition for this group of players is huge, and it’s clear to me that there’s a great environment to develop as a player at Saints. “The recent uncertainly has obviously been incredibly difficult for everyone at Worcester, and I will miss the players, coaches and supporters there – the last couple of months have shown what a special club it is.
Northamptonshire vs Worcestershire, North Group, Vitality Blast
Two clubs have gone. ‘It makes you think as a young player. Everything that has gone on has shown me that when you’re starting to make a little bit of money, you’ve got to be a bit more sensible nowadays. ‘You can’t always trust you’re going to have a next payday. There are lessons to be learned financially. You can’t be living month-by-month and it makes you start thinking a few years ahead and about what your next steps in life are going to be if it (unemployment) happens again. Smith linked up with the Saints following Worcester's financial collapse‘Hopefully this will be the worst time in my rugby career and now it’s out the way. ’Worcester and Wasps have both fallen by the wayside in the season to date after they entered administration and were then suspended and relegated from the Premiership.
‘I don’t think they’ll ever fully appreciate the turmoil they’ve caused on people and their families. I hope the consequences are equal to the stress they’ve put on everyone. ’ The fly-half was a product of Worcester's academy product having been at the club since 13Disgraced former Worcester owners Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham took one of English rugby’s proudest clubs into oblivion and tarnished the memory of former Warriors chief Cecil Duckworth. The Sixways outfit is now looking to start afresh, not that Smith will be there to help. He had already agreed to join Northampton prior to the crisis at Worcester but the move happened quicker than expected last month. Smith did have offers to join French clubs on short-term deals but wanted to begin his new life at Franklin’s Gardens as soon as possible.
English starlet Fin Smith joins Northampton from Worcester