EXETER BOSS ROB Baxter has backed the decision to release Harlequins star Marcus Smith from England duty for Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership clash against the Chiefs.

Smith has played under nine minutes of Test rugby across the last two Guinness Six Nations games after starting England’s tournament opener against Scotland on February 4.

England captain Owen Farrell was the fly-half in the games against Italy and Wales, while Smith found himself reduced to brief cameos as a replacement.

Smith was then omitted from a 26-man group for this week’s England training camp in Brighton, losing out to a fit-again George Ford.

And while England head coach Steve Borthwick insists that Smith will return for preparations to face France on Saturday week, his place in the matchday 23 now looks under serious threat.

Smith looks set to line up for Quins when Exeter arrive at Twickenham, and Baxter said: “The reality is that Marcus Smith needs to play. He has not played that much.

“Despite the howls of derision from pretty much every area of the press, it seems like very good management to me to let him go and play some rugby.

“I am not necessarily pleased he has been let back to play some rugby!

“But I don’t think it is the wrong thing for him to get out and get back to his club and play some rugby.

“He is still a young player, and the one thing you know young players want to do is to be on the field and playing.

“It is the right management of him to get him playing again.”