Marcus Smith has been given the opportunity to play his way into England’s World Cup squad after being picked at fly-half for Saturday’s clash with Wales in Cardiff.

Smith is preferred for the first of four Summer Nations Series matches ahead of Owen Farrell and George Ford, both of whom started the Gallagher Premiership final on May 27.

Steve Borthwick names his World Cup squad on Monday and, with Smith thought to be behind Farrell and Ford in the pecking order, he has the platform at the Principality Stadium to convince his head coach that a third fly-half should be taken to France.

Danny Care joins the 24-year-old at half-back and the side is littered with fringe contenders for the final 33-man group – with no players from Premiership finalists Saracens and Sale present in the starting XV.

Ellis Genge captains the team but, apart from Care, it is an inexperienced line-up that sees fast-rising Northampton flanker Tom Pearson make his debut at openside.

The Vitality Blast match between Surrey and Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff last Wednesday was a historic one for West Indian off-spinner, Sunil Narine.

While he ended up with relatively pedestrian figures of 1-34 off his four overs to help Surrey defend a mammoth 237, his dismissal of South African Colin Ingram for 11 was extremely significant.

With that dismissal, the 35-year-old Trinidadian became only the third man in history to reach 500 wickets in T20s, joining Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, who has 555 and fellow Trinidadian, Dwayne Bravo, who leads the way by a mile with 615.

Narine made his T20 debut all the way back in 2011 when he represented Trinidad & Tobago against Hampshire in the Caribbean T20 at the Kensington Oval and has since gone on to represent a number of franchises in leagues across the globe, most notably helping the Kolkata Knight Riders to a pair of IPL titles in 2012 and 2014, taking over 20 wickets in each season.

In Surrey’s next game, which they also won, Narine was back to his best with figures of 3-12 in 2.5 overs.

In total, Narine has taken 503 wickets in 461 matches at an average of 21.01 including 12 four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul.

For the West Indies, Narine has taken 52 wickets in 51 matches at 21.25. His last T20 for the West Indies came against India at Providence in 2019.

Sabri Lamouchi feels his mission to keep Cardiff in the Championship is almost complete following their dramatic late win at fellow strugglers Rotherham.

Cedric Kipre struck with just two minutes left to seal a 2-1 win that all-but guarantee the Welsh side’s survival and keeps Rotherham firmly in trouble.

The Bluebirds are now six points above the drop zone with two games remaining, while United remain just three points above 22nd-placed Reading.

The initial meeting between the two teams last month was abandoned with Cardiff 1-0 up before the pitch became unplayable due to heavy rain.

Lamouchi was angry at that decision but delighted to see his side inch closer to safety in the replayed game.

The Frenchman, who took charge in January, said: “It is not mathematically done but we are so close. The players deserved the win. I saw my players with the right mentality. We created the chances.

“It is an absolutely massive result. My mission was to stay in the Championship. It is not done but I am happy with the result and confident for the next two.

“My only desire is to win the next game at home for our magic fans. This season, for them and for us, has been very frustrating.

“I have big respect for the fans (for travelling to the game again) and big thanks to them.”

Jordan Hugill almost gave the home crowd the perfect start but his header from Wes Harding’s cross bounced back off the woodwork.

Cardiff then took an 11th-minute lead when Kion Etete sneaked in behind Harding to power in Perry Ng’s cross.

The Millers drew level in the 37th minute with Harding’s cross finding its way through to Chiedozie Ogbene who tucked beyond Jak Alnwick.

Cardiff’s deficiencies from the penalty spot emerged again as Sory Kaba missed for the second game in succession. Conor Coventry was deemed to have brought down Jaden Philogene but was reprieved when Kaba’s effort cannoned back off the bar.

The visitors looked the more likely to nick all three points in the second half and took the big chance that fell their way when Kipre kept his composure to lash beyond Viktor Johansson late on.

Rotherham manager Matt Taylor said: “It’s a tough blow right at the end. Their frontline caused us constant problems. A set-piece moment has cost us. It was a really gutting moment.

“Their threat was obvious and we tried to address that at half-time. We got away with the penalty miss.

“We looked a bit nervy every time the ball got in and around our backline in the first half. I was so pleased that we got back into the game.

“I don’t think the tension affected us too much. I think the opposition pushed us into some scary moments and their physicality told.”