'I'm willing to pay for my body': Aaron Smith's secret to longevity
All Blacks talisman Aaron Smith will play his 100th test on Saturday night when he runs out onto Eden Park to face up with the Wallabies and the 32-year-old has shed some light on how he’s able to maintain his impeccable standards.
Smith debuted for New Zealand in 2012 and has been an almost guaranteed selection in the No 9 jersey since he arrived on the international scene due to his exceptional passing and second-to-none aerobic fitness.
Curiously, however, Smith hasn’t looked like the years are starting to catch up with him. If anything, the Highlanders co-captain appears to be getting better with age and is still just as quick around the park as he was when he first burst into the test arena as a 23-year-old.
The man himself has confirmed that he feels he’s in better physical shape than in years gone by, which should signal to the rest of the world that come the 2023 World Cup, the All Blacks are still likely to have a fit and firing Aaron Smith running the show from the No 9 jersey, despite the fact that he’ll be almost 35.
“I’ve said it a few times, but I feel better now than I did in my late-20s,” said Smith at the launch of the latest All Blacks jersey. “It’s all about what you’re willing to put in, but the mental side of it is easy.”
Smith acknowledged that while he’s mastered the mentality that’s needed to be a professional athlete at the highest level of the game, maintaining peak physical condition is still an ongoing challenge.
“The top two inches is easy around getting mentally ready for things,” he said. “But physically it’s just hard work. There is no substitution. You earn everything you get.
“I watch a lot of sports overseas around athletes I like that motivate me. The longevity is more around consistency, and little things done well and often. It’s small sacrifices, but there are big rewards if you are able to stay committed to something.”
The man considered by many to be the best in his position in the world – despite fierce competition from South Africa’s Faf de Klerk and France’s Antoine Dupont – hasn’t been afraid to seek external help to keep himself fit and ready to go each and every week.
No matter how well you look after your body, age creeps up on everyone, even professional athletes, which is why Smith has had to seek assistance in ensuring he can maintain his exceptional standards and adjust the way he prepares and recovers from matches.
Aaron Smith is about to join an exclusive club at 32-years-old with plenty left to give. #NZLvAUS #BledisloeCup https://t.co/iMqI0K0n34
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 5, 2021
“I can’t just go run the roads like I used to,” he acknowledged. My knees and joints don’t like it. But there are watt bikes and things now to help if you’re willing.
“I do a lot of stuff before I even get to training in the mornings. I’ve got a very good routine around where I know I need to get my body to, and spend a lot of time with nutrionists around the fuel I put in.
“I spend a lot of money on recovery. I get a couple of rubs a week, and I’m very stringent with recovery pumps, ice baths and sauna. I have all that at home. I’m willing to pay for my body and I’m willing to make sure that it gives me as much as it can.”
Rugby players of the pre-professional era may baulk at the lengths Smith has to go to keep him running out onto the park week upon week – but it simply shows how committed the 32-year-old is to being the best player he can be.
In Auckland on Saturday Smith will become the 10th player to clock up a century of matches for the All Blacks – and the first halfback to achieve the feat.
The match kicks off at 7:05pm from Eden Park.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments