Smith: No confidence crisis
All Blacks veteran Ben Smith has defended his reputation and disagreed with Steve Hansen’s suggestion that his confidence levels had taken a hit before the World Cup.
Fullback/wing Smith, speaking to media after the team trained in Tokyo yesterday, didn’t back down when asked whether he agreed with All Blacks coach Hansen’s assertion that he needed to reclaim his selfbelief before the test against Tonga in Hamilton earlier this month.
Smith, who has played 80 tests, was quick to make it clear he still had what was required to succeed at the highest level when asked if he had faith in himself to deliver when it mattered.
‘‘No,’’ he said when asked if his confidence levels were low. ‘‘I have always believed in my ability and what I can do. ‘‘And getting out there – I will always back myself and get out there and do a good job. There was never any doubt there.’’
Hansen’s decision to deliver his forthright statement on the 33-year-old Smith’s form prior to the All Blacks’ 92-7 win over Tonga came as a shock.
Rarely has an All Blacks coach delivered such a strong statement about one of his experienced players – not in public, anyway.
Maybe it was Hansen’s way of trying to provoke a response from Smith, who had not been close to top form in the earlier Rugby Championship tests before being omitted from the side that thrashed the Wallabies 36-0 to retain the Bledisloe Cup last month.
When asked why Hansen had made that statement, Smith replied: ‘‘You might have to ask Steve on that one.
‘‘I have always trusted myself to get out there and do a good job for the team.
‘‘I could have been doing things a bit better, definitely, but I trust myself to get out there and do a good job.’’
Smith was in good form for the Highlanders until he suffered a serious hamstring injury.
His comeback was not as good as he, or the coaches, would have hoped and when the All Blacks were belted by the Wallabies in Perth where he played on the wing and the selectors then put Sevu Reece and George Bridge there for the next test in Auckland.
Although Smith scored two tries against Tonga, it appears unlikely he will crack the starting side for the first World Cup pool game against South Africa in Yokohama on Saturday night.
Hansen is more likely to stick with Beauden Barrett at fullback, allowing Richie Mo’unga to start at No 10. Reece and Bridge, given their hot form at the moment, could well retain their starting spots on the wings.
The All Blacks will name their team in Tokyo tomorrow.
The versatile Smith could potentially be added to the reserves bench, and he will no doubt be desperate to prove he can still make a big contribution to the All Blacks’ defence of the Webb Ellis Cup.
Few could say Smith hasn’t been a fine servant of New Zealand rugby, and although many believed he was the best fullback in the country he never complained when shifted to the right wing.
He reinforced that message yesterday, saying he would be happy to play in whatever position the coaches wanted him to fill.
‘‘I just want to do a good job, whatever role that is. I am excited about this World Cup.’’
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