He was very good today lovely break for the second try.

Makes you think who have been Quins back up fly half’s in the last 15 years and which one was the best/worst (I may forget some) not chronological just when they came into my head.

Adrian Jarvis
Chris Malone
Waisea Luveniyali
Ben Botica
Benjamin Urdapilleta
Demitri Catrakillis (probably starting fly half to be fair)
Brett Herron
Rory Clegg
Tim Swiel
Will Edwards
James Lang
Louis Grimoldby

Yes he comes above all of them
I still remember Malone missing a kick at home against Wasps about 20 metres out in front of the posts.
Less said about Botica and Foden the better.
Remember Cleggs kicking horror show away at Exeter in 2011/12 season.

Never really had a strong back up for Mehrtens, Evans and now Smith. Urdapiellta has made the most of his career and been a main stay in France.

Adrian Jarvis was a reasonable 10 but wasn’t starting quality
Chris Malone I never rated at Bath so was disappointed when he joined. Was first choice for a a season before NEV joined and was rated enough by Deano that NEV was pushed to 15 for some games. However not my cup of tea 10
Luvenyalii was really poor, was clearly a 7s player and NH 15s didn’t suit
Botica was one of those players who’s risk reward was huge. He definitely cost Quins games but he also created some great attacking plays. Will always be harshly judged but perhaps requires some reassessment
Urdapilltta never got a chance. Was 3rd choice behind botica and perhaps was the one Quins let get away
Catrakilis injury was a huge blow and I feel for th guy. However his signing seemed the antithesis of NEV and it allowed Smith to become first choice 10 early in his career
Herron never had a a chance - he’s Not Marcus smith, there’s no A team rugby with covid and he’s expected to come on and do something special at 10 when smith goes off. So difficult for an attacking 10 (rather than a kicking one) to have any influence in the off 10 mins
Clegg was a massive disappointment, he was meant to be the next big thing but confidence was so fragile. Basically miss one kick or touch and he was shocking.
Swiel should have been a 15 - so fast but no control as a 10
Will Edward’s is a reasonable 3rd choice - the n theory he can come on and replicate a running game that Quins want from a 10 (reality is Jamie Benson will quickly emerge into that role)
Lang is a quality player, Scotland international but playing the odd 20 mins at 10 was never going to be great
Grimoldy didn’t make the grade and has forged a decent career at the next level

Fundamentally being back up 10 to NEV or Smith or any top 10 is a very difficult job. Especially those two as they haven’t (yet) disappeared for international duty. Otherwise playing for 20 mins (max) gives means limited opportunity to express yourself or make sure you don’t do something wrong. This will change with smith being with England.

Poor Ruaridh Jackson never even got a mention in the list of back up 10s and it wasn’t even very long ago …

On paper, that should have been a good signing - generally, bit part internationals with something to prove should be solid bets, but poor old Ruaridh came, went and seems to have been entirely forgotten.

He was awful. Seemed to have no bottle whatsoever and was just produced timid, error-strewn performances.

Honestly, I had pretty much forgotten him entirely.

I only remembered him because a colleague of mine went to school with him and I happened to see that person immediately after I’d looked at this thread. Absolutely nothing to do with his playing career at Quins.

Is Smith back for Worcester or is it the game after?

He is back in training now but available for the game against Briz on the 8th of October.

The question is will they throw him straight in or will he be on the bench to ease him in?

Indeed, I certainly wouldn't drop someone who played as well as Allan. Marcus on the bench would be good.