‘He’s changing the game’: Aaron Smith’s verdict on New Zealand’s halfbacks

Legendary All Black Aaron Smith has described Cam Roigard as “a game-changer” while giving a glowing endorsement of New Zealand’s strong depth at halfback, with several players seemingly in the frame for national selection.

Smith’s decorated All Blacks career came to a close at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with the New Zealanders falling 12-11 to rivals South Africa in the Final. That result saw Smith complete a full set of World Cup medals – gold in 2015, bronze in 2019, and then a silver.

It can be quite rare for fans from rivalling teams to almost unanimously agree on any given rugby topic, but practically every supporter would say Smith is the best halfback in All Blacks history, and maybe even the greatest No. 9 to have ever played the sport.

On October 28, 2023, Smith walked past the Webb Ellis Cup and across the Rugby World Cup podium after playing one last Test for the All Blacks. That was the end of an era for both Smith and the All Blacks, with the scrum-half moving to Japan to play for Toyota Verblitz.

Another highly-experienced halfback has since bid farewell to the All Blacks, with TJ Perenara also moving to Japan after the 2024 Autumn Nations Series. But as Smith explained, the All Blacks’ No. 9 jersey remains in safe hands.

“I think we’re very blessed at halfback at the moment,” Smith told RugbyPass. “Every team has one or two classy halfbacks and they’re all putting their hands up. I’m watching as a big fan. Being an All Black coach would be pretty hard now.

“Cam’s a game-changer. He’s changing the game with the way he’s playing and he influences games. Big boot, running game – he’s just high impact and full class.

“But then you’ve got [Cortez] Ratima and stuff like that. Then you’ve got the Crusaders halfback, you’ve got [Noah] Hotham, you’ve got Finlay [Christie], Sam Nock. We’re pretty spoiled.

“It’ll just come down to the type of game that suits the nine that they pick or the two nines that they pick. I was always a big believer in that ying and yang – a strong one and a faster one, or however the balance goes of who starts and who comes off the bench is critical now and the type of game you try and play, and obviously the opponents you play.

“You need to take into consideration combinations.”

Cortez Ratima was right up there with Wallace Sititi as one of the finds of the 2024 season for the All Blacks. After entering the Test arena for the first time against England in Auckland, Ratima went from strength to strength as the season progressed.

Coach Scott Roberton selected Ratima for a starting debut against Fiji in San Diego, with the 24-year-old scoring a try in that Test. But it was during The Rugby Championship where Ratima really began to soar, including a standout performance against the Wallabies in Sydney.

Ratima rounded out the Test season as an impact player off the bench, with ‘Razor’ Robertson opting for Roigard in the run-on side. Roigard missed a large chunk of 2024 with a knee injury before going toe-to-toe with Antoine Dupont at Saint-Denis’ Stade de France.

If fans were asked to weigh in, a large majority would likely say Roigard is the front-runner to start for the All Blacks this year. Meanwhile, Ratima has come off the bench in five of nine appearances for the Chiefs in Super Rugby, with Xavier Roe often the starter.

One-Test All Black Noah Hotham and Kyle Preston have combined for a menacing one-two combination at the Crusaders, Finlay Christie and Sam Nock have been reliable for the Blues once again, and the Highlanders have Nathan Hastie and Folau Fakatava.

But as Smith warned, “Test rugby is a bit different” to Super Rugby.

“It’s a different game, it’s a lot more clinical,” Smith added.

“Simple’s good and doing your job. The X-factor parts in your game, if they can show up within the plan then that’s beautiful.

“I’ve been really impressed. To think a couple are still injured as well.

“We’re very blessed at the halfback position in New Zealand and you just want to see them keep going at other and seeing how far they can take it and that’s only good for the game and god for the black jersey.”