AMONG the key playmakers of England’s rugby union team is half Filipino Marcus Smith, who spent his early childhood in Manila like any other Pinoy kid and vividly remembers the familiar calls of taho vendors in the streets of Paranaque, going to church with his family, and celebrating birthdays with rides on a kalesa.
These simple childhood memories have stayed with the England fly-half, connecting him to the country where his journey began.
Born to a Filipina mother and an English father in the Philippines, Smith moved with his family to Singapore before settling in England at age 13. But while rugby would take him to the sport’s biggest stages, his Filipino upbringing helped shape the person he became.
“When I play for England, I take immense pride in wearing my lucky pants, which have half Filipino flag, half English flags, so I always try and hold that close to my heart,” Smith, who plays for Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby, told SPIN.ph.
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The sentiment took on added meaning when Smith made his Rugby World Cup debut in 2023, reaching a stage that few rugby union players ever get to experience.
For the 27-year-old, it was a milestone shared not only with his teammates but with the people who had helped him along the way, including the family that raised him across different countries.
“One thing that they did recognize is, they basically outlined the journey from me growing up to this position, and they put that on the selection post, which I think is really important because it shows everyone of us had a different journey, and mine was through the Philippines, through Singapore, and to England,” he said. “So I'm obviously extremely proud of that.”
“I don't represent the Philippines, I guess, by country, during games,” he said. “However, it's still the flag's still on me, wherever I, whenever I play, it's a big part of me.”
Smith's Filipino identity goes beyond the flag he carries. It is also reflected in the values he credits to his childhood in the Philippines, where his parents and brothers helped shape his relationship with sport, family, and the concept of hard work.
Some of his earliest memories revolved around family and sport. His father played for the Manila Nomads and represented the Philippines.
With sport already part of family life, Smith and his two brothers grew up competing against one another, picking up whatever balls they could find.
“I don't think it was a conscious effort to pick up a rugby ball,” he recalled. “Because there was three of us playing as brothers, we just wanted to pick up any balls that were there, whether that be a tennis ball, basketball, football, or rugby ball and just have fun competing with each other.”
That early exposure would eventually lead Smith to a career representing England, but his roots are deeply rooted in Manila. He remembers birthdays spent riding a kalesa, taho vendors peddling on the streets, and going to church with his family.
His mother's Filipino family was deeply religious, making faith an important part of their upbringing.
He also remembers the discipline and hard work instilled in him at school.
“I'm truly grateful for those experiences, because I think it's really shaped the person I am,” Smith said. “And it's, I guess, taught me my morals and taught me what I believe in.”
Looking back, Smith believes growing up in the Philippines helped him appreciate the importance of interacting with people beyond his immediate circle.
“I feel truly blessed that I lived a large portion of my life in the Philippines because it encouraged us to be outside, to be mixing with different types of people and socializing,” he said.
Smith is familiar with the challenges that come with competing at the highest level. Rugby is a physically demanding sport, and his position either at fly-half or full back requires him to make decisions and manage the game under pressure.
Yet when asked which traits from his Filipino upbringing he carries into his role, Smith pointed to perseverance, resilience, and gratitude.
He remembers seeing people in the Philippines who had fewer opportunities than he had, yet continued to find reasons to smile.
“I think that those are the things that are kind of instilled in myself and still replaying in my head, like, how can I complain when I'm so blessed and I'm so lucky, you know, when other kids and people that I experienced and played with in the Philippines didn't have anything, but they're still smiling and they still have more energy than me,” he said.
The experience stayed with him, reminding him to never take his circumstances for granted.
“It taught me those couple of things, to be grateful for my life, to work hard, and deal with the ups and downs,” Smith said.
For Smith, the values he learned growing up in the Philippines remain relevant regardless of the jersey he wears.
Marcus reconnects with PH roots
Marcus and his brothers have returned to the Philippines over the years, doing outreach activities revolving around the sport that allowed them to spend time with less privileged kids in certain areas.
“There's so much joy that rugby, football, basketball have given not only myself, but I think the family as well, but I would love everyone who has an opportunity to pick up a ball or play outside with anything to give it a go,” he said.
“I personally don't think there's a better sport than rugby for young Filipino, in my opinion.”
For Smith, helping more Filipino children discover rugby would mean giving them access to the same kind of opportunities that helped shape his own path.
And while he continues to pursue his ambitions with England, he wants to keep that connection with the small rugby community he keeps coming back to.
“At home, that's ultimately where the game of rugby started for me, I’ll always come back,” he said.
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