How Marcus Smith carries his Filipino identity in England's top rugby league

How Marcus Smith carries his Filipino identity in England's top rugby league

Marcus Smith has emerged as one of the brightest stars in England’s rugby union scene. Few know he is half-Filipino. Yet in the quiet rituals before kickoff and in the way he carries himself, his roots are unmistakable. “I play for England, and I’m very, very proud of that,” he told Rappler. “But every single game, I wear lucky shorts underneath my kit with a half-Filipino flag and half-English flag.” “That ensures that whenever I step on the fi…