In the Premiership, he is the fourth highest ranked player in terms of beating defenders and in Europe he has the same ranking for metres gained, a remarkable total for a fly-half of 128 metres from nine carries.
But what will have caught Jones’ eye most of all is that fact that even when he makes mistakes, he does not retreat into his shell and time and again delivers a match-winning contribution when the pressure is on.
Yes, the case for Smith retaining the England No 10 shirt is compelling, even if it comes at the expense of Jones’ most trusted lieutenant, Owen Farrell.
The England captain has frustratingly been forced to spend the last two month rehabilitating his ankle which required surgery following an injury sustained in the victory over Australia. He is expected to return for Saracens in their Challenge Cup match against London Irish on Jan 23 – five days after Jones names his Six Nations squad.
Farrell’s form last year was clearly affected by Saracens’ season in the Championship and he has played only a handful of matches since missing on the Lions squad for the final Test match against the Springboks.
There is no doubt that Farrell remains the key figure in Jones’ squad, but the two best fly-halves in England right now are Smith and Ford, and it would make more sense to allow him time to rediscover that form with his club first.
And given that Courtney Lawes has emerged as a popular and capable leader in Farrell’s absence, Jones can turn to the Northampton Saints forward to captain England in the opening rounds against Scotland and Italy.
The Six Nations will expose Smith to a higher level of pressure and expectation, and with the Scottish government allowing supporters to return to stadiums before England’s trip to Murrayfield on Feb 5, he can expect the most ferocious examination of his credentials as the latest red rose poster boy in Edinburgh.
But if Jones is to truly discover if the Harlequins fly-half is the right man to build a squad around for the World Cup in France in 2023, now is the time.
