Marcus Smith is rugby’s future whether you like it or not – but England shirt is no guarantee

Whether traditional supporters like it or not, whether they admit it or not, the battle for the hearts and minds of future players and fans will not be waged by conventional means. What has worked in the past, will have to bend to what will work in the future, and that means the cult of the celebrity player is likely to feature. There has been a distinct change in the way that young supporters engage with rugby. No longer do they join the game as club fans, they are more likely to follow star pl