Smith reflects on

Ben Smith has discovered who his closest allies are during his most difficult, and final, season in the All Blacks.

Smith, named on the right wing for the World Cup bronze medal game against Wales at Tokyo Stadium, will play his 84th and final test for the All Blacks tonight before honouring a deal to join French club Pau.

The 33-year-old, who modestly describes himself as a ‘‘battler from Green Island’’, has been forced to endure a bumpy ride this year but wants to end his distinguished international career by proving to his two young children how much it means to him to represent his country.

Things haven’t panned out as Smith would have liked during the tournament in Japan.

He wasn’t picked for the knockout games against Ireland and England, with coach Steve Hansen preferring Beauden Barrett at fullback, Sevu Reece and George Bridge on the wings and Jordie Barrett in the reserves as cover for the outside backs.

Earlier in the season Smith suffered a serious hamstring injury at the Highlanders, and prior to the All Blacks’ match against Tonga in Hamilton head coach Steve Hansen said the veteran lacked confidence.

Now Smith, along with captain Kieran Read, Sonny Bill Williams, Ryan Crotty and Matt Todd, wants to end his career with dignity.

‘‘I have probably learned that you have got to make sure you have the right people to fall back on,’’ Smith said this week.

‘‘For me, I am lucky I have. It is a bit of a rollercoaster that you go through. Especially, I have learned that.

‘‘There’s people that will probably message you in the good times and there’s people that will message you when things aren’t going so well. And you probably lean back on those people who are there for the whole journey, and I am lucky enough to have good family, good friends in those tough times to lean back on.’’

When Smith suffered a high hamstring strain in the latter part of the Super Rugby season New Zealand rugby supporters gripped their arm chairs with fright.

The sight of Hansen quickly making his way to the Highlanders co-captain after he left the field was indicative of how much his coach valued him ahead of the World Cup, especially with fullback/No 10 Damian McKenzie unavailable because of a serious knee injury.

When Smith recovered and played his 153rd and final game for the Highlanders against the Crusaders in the quarterfinal, it was assumed he would go on to play a vital part in the All Blacks’ defence of the Webb Ellis Cup.

But his form during the Rugby Championship didn’t convince Hansen he had rediscovered his mojo, and after the shock 47-26 loss to the Wallabies in Perth,

Smith and Rieko Ioane were replaced on the wings by Bridge and Reece.

Smith publicly disagreed with Hansen, saying his confidence levels hadn’t dropped prior to the World Cup and although he made appearances in the pool games against Canada and Namibia he never got a run in the quarterfinal or semifinal.

Many of Smith’s supporters said the decision to not at least have him on the bench against England was a missed opportunity.

There have been some valuable lessons, he admitted, as he reiterated the importance of listening and remaining loyal to those who have stuck by him in times of adversity.

‘‘So that is probably a learning for me, around making sure that you have got good people to give