Fin Smith: England fly-half’s ‘simple decision’ to stay at Northampton Saints

This weekend’s East Midlands derby against Leicester Tigers will be Smith’s first game since the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia, having completed his mandatory rest period.

He described the experience as “an absolute privilege”, while admitting to being frustrated with his performances on the pitch.

“When I reflect on it, no one can take that series from me,” he said.

“It is the pinnacle of the sport, but I have enough self-awareness to realise I didn’t play my best rugby on tour and it didn’t go as I would have liked.

“But in terms of the experience, the scale, being around the best players in the world is such a brilliant thing.

“Having been away from the game, gone on my holidays, digested that, it’s been nice to take the emotion out of it.

“Whilst I might have been on one hand frustrated, what can I learn, what can I take out of it and bring back into this season, how do I keep getting better? It starts this Saturday.”

Northampton expect to welcome back all of their four Lions players – Smith, Henry Pollock, Tommy Freeman and Alex Mitchell – to take on the Tigers.

“I am desperate to play well but I am well aware that if you try to pull rabbits out of hats and have the best game of your life it will go the other way,” Smith said.

“I need to stay nice and calm, do my job and hopefully that will lead to me performing well and impressing the powers that be.

“But first and foremost we need a good result for the town.”