Joe Marchant compares England team mate Marcus Smith with New Zealand talisman Beauden Barrett

Marcus Smith can be England’s Beauden Barrett according to his Harlequins team-mate Joe Marchant.

The Harlequins centre, 24, played with All Black talisman Barrett in Auckland while on a sabbatical pre-Covid in New Zealand.

And Marchant thinks that his England No 10 Smith, 22, can light up this summer and beyond in a Test shirt having inspired Quins to the Premiership title.

Marchant believes Harlequins colleague Smith is ‘a player who get’s bums on seats’

‘He is a pretty special player to be honest,’ said Marchant on Smith – who should make his international debut against the USA on Sunday at Twickenham.

‘He is someone that can just make something happen when there is just nothing on. He is someone you can trust if you are telling him a picture, you don’t even need to tell him sometimes, a picture has kind of presented itself he will look and he will take that option.

‘His skills are obviously so high he will put you on the money. Our outside backs at the club have scored so many tries this year through him putting the ball on the money.

‘He has been exceptional and I am really excited to see what he can do at international level because he does what he has done at the club it will be a good summer for him.

Marchant likened Smith’s style of play to that of New Zealand talisman  Beauden Barrett

And asked if he has similar traits to Kiwi Barrett – two time world player of the year – Marchant added: ‘You can definitely see the skill level when they get the ball in their hands, they have just got so much time on it.

‘It is a cliché but the best 10s when they have got the ball look like they have got time on their hands and Marcus and Beauden are both in that category.

‘They definitely get bums on seats and they are really exciting players both of them.’

Marchant is one of four title winners in Eddie Jones’ squad for Tests against USA – this Sunday – and Canada – next weekend – along with No 8 Alex Dombrandt, flanker Jack Kenningham and Smith.

Marchant (left) celebrates after winning  the Premiership title with Harlequins last season

He wants Quins’ swashbuckling style to rub off on England.

‘I hope so,’ he said.

‘The way we’ve been playing at Quins is a way we’ve been trying to play for a number of years, going back to the roots of the club, playing a free-flowing, high-tempo game. It’s going well for us and we’ve got a lot of benefits from it. If it sets trends at international level, who knows.

‘Dommers, Marcus and Kenners are all good at moving the ball, putting people into holes. And if it means we’re making lots of breaks and scoring lots of tries it’ll be really good.’