Northampton’s Fin Smith eager to seize final chance to show Lions credentials

England fly-half Fin Smith says he has “huge respect and admiration” for his Ireland counterpart Sam Prendergast ahead of a final British and Irish Lions audition.

They are set for an intriguing head-to-head in Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final between Northampton and Leinster.

And it comes just five days before Lions head coach Andy Farrell announces his squad for this summer’s tour to Australia.

Smith and Prendergast are firmly in the selection mix, having excelled on the international stage this season, generating a fascinating sub-plot.

“I am always looking at other 10s and seeing if I can learn bits and bobs. I have got huge respect and admiration for him,” Northampton playmaker Smith said.

“The way he has carried himself in such a calm manner and been incredibly unfazed, particularly with some of the madness the Irish media have chucked to the (Jack) Crowley-Prendergast debate, has been impressive.

“He has got a real box of tricks with the variety of his kicking and some of his late passing at the line.”

Asked about the Lions selection countdown, Smith added: “Everyone will give you the bog-standard answer of ‘No, I just want to focus on my game’.

“But at the same time I am fully aware this is a big game under the microscope which is probably the last chance I’ve got to put my best foot forward before selection happens.

“It won’t hopefully change too much in terms of what I am trying to do, but I definitely want to go out there and play well with that (Lions) being one of many incentives.”

Northampton lost narrowly to Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-finals last season and will relish another huge challenge against the four-time tournament winners in Dublin.

One of Saints’ biggest tasks, though, will be to unlock a Leinster defence that ensured shut-outs of last-16 opponents Harlequins (62-0) and quarter-final rivals Glasgow (52-0).

Smith added: “It (Leinster’s defensive system) is very similar to the one we used with England under Felix Jones, so I’ve got a fair understanding of the system and what they will be talking about.

“Understanding it is one thing. Managing to find a way round it is another. We’ve spoken about a few things this week.

“They obviously come really hard off the line, so we will have to play a bit deeper than we might usually like to and probably be a bit less predictable than we usually would in terms of running shape.”

Leinster have lost in three successive Champions Cup finals, but they are favourites to land a fifth title seven years after the last one.

Just two defeats across 22 Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship games this season underlines their quality and consistency.

“I did watch them play against Glasgow and I watched them play the week before that when they stuck however many on Harlequins as well,” Smith said.

“And at times you watch them and you think, ‘Flipping heck, how do you stop that?’. But that is the nature of the beast. You have got to figure it out.

“I would say when you let them get into their flow and you sit back and watch them attack and play into their hands with the ball as well, you have already lost.

“You have got to try and attack them, try and ruffle some feathers and go with them rather than let them settle in.”