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Marcus Smith signs long-term Harlequins contract extension
By
Liam Heagney
Marcus Smith has signed an unspecified length, long-term contract extension with Harlequins, ending months of speculation that he was ready to move to France or to a rival Gallagher Premiership club. The 21-year-old is the latest player to commit his future to the London club, following the likes of Danny Care, Dino Lamb, James and Ross Chisholm and Aaron Morris in recent weeks.
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Having joined the Harlequins academy in 2017, Smith is on course to make his 100th appearance this season, having played his 95th game in last weekend’s win at Bath.
Against London Irish at the end of the 2019/20 season, he also became the second-youngest player in history to reach 500 points in the Premiership at the age of 21, behind only Jonny Wilkinson.
A star at the age-grade level, Smith has played for England U18 and U20 sides and featured in the uncapped 2019 England XV fixture against the Barbarians.
Delighted to have ended all the recent speculation about his future, Smith said: “I’m thrilled to extend my time with Harlequins. I’ve been part of the club’s academy section since I was 14 and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
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— Harlequins ? (@Harlequins) February 10, 2021
“I wanted to extend my time here to continue to build with this fantastic club and hopefully bring some silverware to The Stoop. The chance to make some great memories with some of the guys I’ve come through the age-grades with and a few of the older players here is something I’m looking forward to. We have a brilliant squad and hopefully we can keep improving and delivering in the way we have these past few weeks.”
Harlequins general manager Billy Millard added: “We’re thrilled to have Marcus recommit to the club once more. At a young age, Marcus has become one of the key figures within our squad. To have the impact and cool-headed approach Marcus does as a 21-year-old fly-half in the Premiership is hugely impressive.
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“We’re really looking forward to seeing him continue to learn and grow at the centre of our team. We are really excited by the squad we have assembled at the moment, and Marcus’ recommitment is a testament to the spine of homegrown talent we have within our team.”
'Coming into a professional environment it’s probably a wake-up call'
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 31, 2021
