by The England-Fly-Half-Fin Smith will always be grateful that Matt Shern had “a bit of a slap” and the influence of the Wales boss on his career.
Smith and England drive to Cardiff on Saturday, where the victory over Wales Steve Borthwick’s team in the title competition of Six Nations would hold in front of the tournament favorites France in Scotland.
The Northampton playmaker quickly became an influential figure for England, and Wales’ interim head coach Shern will know everything about the threat he represents.
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Shern was his first coach in Worcester and Smith said: “He put me for a really honest conversation that I will not forget when I was in my first year as a 18-year-old.
“He said FAZ (Owen Farrell) and Fordy (George Ford) played week after week, and when I wanted to achieve this level that he really had to push at the time when he thought I thought.
“He really looked at me and gave myself a shot in my first year. As a coach, it’s probably not the easiest thing, but I am really grateful to him and I have been talking to him for some time now since he left Worcester.
“It is easy to show up, follow the schedule like everyone else – weights, then meetings – and he said:” If you want to take this step that you have to do something different for everyone else “.
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“So he encouraged me to get in and step into my days off, to use my free time to watch videos, practice my skills. That was really good.
“As a young boy, it is easy to show up and follow the same way, and I think if you really want to jump out of the crowd, you have to do additional work.
“So he gave me a bit of a blow, told me that I should continue and do a little more, and I’m super -gross that he did it.”
While England are in the mixture for Six Nations Silver, Wales and Italy are in AA scrap to ward off the wooden spoon.
One point against England could be enough to avoid that it ends the ground for a second season in a row, and Wales has grouped greatly under Shern.
With 16 consecutive test defeats -14 were under Warren Gatland -but Wales held Ireland responsible in Cardiff with Shern before securing two lost bonus points against Scotland.
“I have a lot to thank him, and it was no surprise for me that he turned things over so quickly,” added Smith.
“He is an incredible person and these young play with many more confidence. I think he did that.
“He also has an incredible attacking brain, and through the way you can see how to move the ball and some of your strike games that he stamped his name over this stuff.
“He has them all on the same side, which is the main thing. He made them fight for each other again. He clearly proudly put it back into his shirt. “
