All Blacks aim to offer better protection to halfback in Boks test

Aaron Smith wasn’t given the protection his status in world rugby warranted before he became the first of the All Blacks’ tactical substitutions against Argentina.

The smallest team member, in stature not heart, became increasingly frustrated at the Pumas, his forwards, referee Craig Joubert and no doubt himself before he was replaced in the 49th minute of New Zealand’s 57-22 Rugby Championship win in Hamilton last Saturday.

Smith, 27, is rarely withdrawn so early in a test especially at it was figuratively in the balance at 24-22 a moment later, but head coach Steve Hansen correctly assessed one of his key players had had enough at Waikato Stadium.

Hansen displayed an innate sense of timing when he had TJ Perenara warming up and ready for action when an irate Smith was cautioned by Joubert for a rant after one or more Pumas poured through another breakdown to disrupt his usually impeccable service.

Smith battled to deal with his frustration - an emotive response that would have struck a chord with the Springboks as they prepare for Saturday’s test in Christchurch.

The veteran loose forward felt the South Africans would take plenty of encouragement from the Pumas’ ability to stay competitive until the All Blacks superior conditioning, impact off the bench and the intuitive brilliance of Beauden Barrett and Ben Smith turned a potentially tense finish into a 35-point buffer.

A retrospective of the All Blacks’ 14th successive win understandably accentuated the negatives, and near the top of the improvements was the job security provided for Smith around the ruck.

‘‘That was one of the areas that we focused on, our physicality in our tackle but also our clean out,’’ said Kaino. ’’We pride ourselves on quick ball and for Aaron to have an easy night, and in that first half we didn’t do that.’’