Hansen hails signing of Smith —

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has no doubt about the importance of fullback Ben Smith’s decision to resign with New Zealand Rugby.

The 30-year-old Smith, who had flirted with French club Pau, home to former teammates Colin Slade and Conrad Smith, before deciding to stay with the Highlanders and All Blacks until 2020, is, Hansen said, the “most consistent player in world rugby”.

“It’s a real confidence booster for us to keep a player of this calibre in our country and we now look forward with excitement knowing that our vice-captain is going to be with us through to 2020,” Hansen added.

“Obviously, it has taken a wee while to reach an agreement but good things take time.”

In the end it wasn’t much of a surprise thanks to story in a French newspaper last week which suggested Pau coach Simon Mannix, another former All Black, had accepted Smith wouldn’t be joining his club because of the lure of the upcoming Lions tour of New Zealand.

That may have been one reason to stay; others were the lifestyle New Zealand has to offer his young family, and the deal that Smith and his agent Warren Alcock have negotiated with New Zealand Rugby.

With Smith in a senior leadership role alongside skipper Kieran Read, the money side of the equation is likely to be extremely good by New Zealand standards.

The details remain confidential but Smith’s salary among the All Blacks will be second in value only to Read’s. Smith has also negotiated a sabbatical clause, or what NZ Rugby described as “an option of an extended nonplaying break from the game in order to manage his workload”, plus the option to terminate his contract following the 2019 World Cup.

But whatever the money, NZ Rugby have done a good bit of business. After an uncertain start to his test career in 2009, Smith has blossomed into one of the best to have worn the black No 15 jersey. He