'I've told Dad to be neutral' – Fin Smith on split family Calcutta Cup loyalties

02/14/2025 08:00 AM

Fly-half starred in Six Nations victory against France and is now set to face Scotland, the country of his father's birth

As Gregor Townsend sweats on the availability of Finn Russell for next Saturday's Calcutta Cup there may be a few wistful glances in the direction of England's fly-halves. For Fin Smith, man of the match on his first Test start against France, has Scottish blood in his veins.

His grandfather, Tom Elliot, was from Galashiels – like Townsend – and represented Scotland and the British & Irish Lions as a loosehead prop. Smith's father, Andrew, is from Dunfermline and met his wife Judith, Tom's daughter, at the London Scottish clubhouse. Smith Sr has eight England caps of his own but as a child would marvel at his grandfather's collection, he and brother Angus regularly trying them on.