The new INVINCIBLES
Aaron Smith had what coach Steve Hansen described as a difficult night in his last test against Argentina. Last night, he responded by making life difficult for the Springboks.
Dragged off early for TJ Perenara in Hamilton, he played like a man possessed under a full moon at AMI Stadium. The Boks, taking note of the Pumas’ ability to slow the All Blacks’ ball, threw a fair bit at Smith and the breakdown, but the little Highlander was simply too hot to handle.
His crucial assists in the build-ups to the tries scored by Israel Dagg, Ben Smith and Ardie Savea were one thing, his ability to be at every breakdown no matter how fast or how long the break up-field quite another.
There is little doubt now, surely, that he is the best halfback in the world. His opposite Faf de Klerk had a good season at the Lions, this year’s losing Super Rugby finalists, but Smith is on a different level.
The All Blacks initially were a little frustrated by the Boks. The quick ball wasn't coming as quickly as they would have liked, and pressure couldn't be maintained.
In Smith, they had the perfect firestarter. His long cut-out pass to Dane Coles gave the hooker an assist for Dagg's try, and the No 9 featured a couple of times before Ben Smith and Ardie Savea scored theirs. For Savea it was a second test try on his starting debut. For brother Julian, it was his first try against the Boks, his 43rd in total and yet another box ticked as he builds a remarkable tally.
Coles was another who proved his quality after struggling a little at Waikato Stadium. His pace and handling skills could be compared with those of a loose forward, but in truth they are probably closer to a midfield back.
That ability to put doubt into a defender's mind means he is now constantly prowling along the sidelines, enabling Kieran Read to operate slightly closer in-field.
That the All Blacks over-ran the Boks in the final quarter was no surprise. The shift in intensity was predictable but no less difficult to stop. However, they had to put in some serious ground work and in Smith and Coles they had the perfect foundation builders.