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'He's definitely setting the bar': All Blacks trainer reveals the team's most driven player
All Blacks trainer Nic Gill has labelled star halfback Aaron Smith as the team’s most driven player.
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Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, Gill, who has been part of the All Blacks set-up since 2004, said no player has impressed him with their work ethic and discipline like Smith has.
“The transformation he’s been through from when he first became an All Black to the professional he is now. He is working so hard not just on his team or his form but his body, his skill – his drive to be the best nine in the world is massive,” Gill said.
“It’s just all the little things – it’s the stretching, it’s the massages, it’s getting to training half an hour before anyone else so he can do his own skill work that others aren’t doing. Doing his stretching and his rolling after sessions.
“He’s definitely setting the bar at the moment from what I can tell in the All Black group.”
Since his debut for the All Blacks in 2012, Smith has become a vital member of the New Zealand national side as he has accrued 97 test caps, a World Cup title and multiple Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship crowns.
His influence is perhaps felt even more at the Highlanders, the franchise he has played for since 2011 and since become co-captain of.
During this year’s Super Rugby Aotearoa season, the 32-year-old became the team’s most-capped player ever, and after having signed a two-year contract extension in March, Smith’s value to the Highlanders is only going to grow.
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Renowned for his fast-paced style of play and world-class passing ability, Smith has also grown into a leader and has become virtually indispensable within both the Highlanders and All Blacks squads.
Gill told the Herald that, despite Smith’s age, he doesn’t see the livewire No 9’s status in either team diminishing over the coming years given how well he prepares and recovers off the field.
“If the mindset is right and you’ve got the discipline to do all those little things… it just translates onto the park. He’s a great example of an older athlete that’s still at the top of his game and doesn’t look like slowing down.”
Gill also reserved praise for former All Blacks loose forward Liam Messam, who he described as “one of the fittest guys in the team”, and ex-All Blacks centurion Ma’a Nonu for their work ethic and durability.
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments