I need to be a leader - England and Quins 10 Smith

Harlequins and England fly-half Marcus Smith has challenged himself to measurement up and show his expertise to nonstop and animate his team-mates successful nan coming season.

"This twelvemonth it is going to beryllium particularly important to show my leadership," Smith told BBC 5 Live's Rugby Union Weekly.

"We person evidently had immoderate large players leaving nan nine - immoderate stalwarts for illustration Will Collier [Castres successful France] and nan man upland extracurricular maine Andre Esterhuizen [Sharks successful South Africa] - truthful location is going to beryllium an added work connected america older players. I want to bring that much to nan table."

The 25-year-old, who has 35 Test caps, is simply a contender to make a 2nd British and Irish Lions circuit adjacent summertime aft being called up to nan 2021 travel to South Africa arsenic a Test rookie.

He believes his acquisition successful nan confederate hemisphere this summertime has strengthened nan intelligence broadside of his game.

Smith missed 3 kicks successful England's 16-15 conclusion by New Zealand successful Dunedin, but recovered to present a much-improved capacity disconnected nan tee successful nan 2nd Test nan pursuing week.

"I personally struggled aft nan first Test successful New Zealand," Smith added.

"I deliberation it knocked maine backmost a bit.

"It was a missed opportunity going down to New Zealand and getting truthful close.

"That is my occupation arsenic a kicker - to put nan points complete for nan lads - and I didn't do my occupation to nan levels I wanted to.

"But I americium gladsome I was fixed nan motion to footwear again nan week aft and I felt I kicked a batch amended successful that game.

"I learned a batch astir myself, astir resilience and dealing pinch different crowds.

"They were shouting and booing and it was a caller acquisition for maine - hopefully it will put maine successful a amended position if I get different opportunity to circuit location again."

Harlequins vanished sixth for a 2nd consecutive play successful their past campaign, shipping an mean of almost 29 points a game, and Smith says nan recruitment of Australian defence coach Jason Gilmore will beryllium cardinal to making nan play-offs.

"I person only worked pinch him successful nan past week and a half, but nan level of item has been a level up from immoderate defence coach I person had astatine Quins," said Smith.

"If we tin amended that 10-15%, I deliberation we will beryllium location aliases thereabouts."