Ben Smith : World Class Personified

First topic message reminder :

There's been a lot of love shown for Ben Smith in recent times. The versatile Kiwi back has been in impressive form in super and provincial rugby and raised many untrained eyebrows when he was included in the All Blacks squad for the French internationals in the absence of SBW, Conrad Smith, Richard Kahui and Corey Jane at the expensive of wingers and centres who were lit up more brightly on the global radar.

However he was undoubtably the spark in an otherwise often ponderous All Blacks back line (aside from stellar cameos from the peerless impact of powerful and unflinching Rene Ranger.)

Smith has demonstrated extraordinary ability to read the game and times his injection from wing or full back with faultless accuracy. He is one of those players who always seems to get the bounce of the ball, always has more time than those around him, appears on the supporting shoulder of a player making the break, arrives to make the timely last ditch tackle, scythes unexpectedly at an angle the defensive line cannot cover, makes the magical short kick  that casts an organised defense into disarray or knows just when to act as the unselfish link man with a fast mind and even faster hands. 

Such is his vision and skill, that the game often seems to be going on in slow motion around him. He reminds me of a sort if hybrid of Jeff Wilson and Christian Cullen with a bit of Conrad Smith and David Campese thrown in.

This kind if high tempo skill execution is the antithesis of Gatlandball. Which will provide us with some entertaining contrasts in upcoming matches no doubt.

Ben Smith seems the natural evolution of the wing-fullback. The attacking nous and pace of a Joe Rokocoko blended with the aerial skills and kicking precision of a Corey Jane and the spatial awareness in the tight of Conrad Smith. He evokes the aura of the great French play making backs with flair and unpredictability and conjures up images of the legendary Welsh players JPR or Bennet.

There's no doubt that this guy is a new kind if super-talent in a purple patch of form and the way he makes even his All Blacks team mates appear ponderous and ordinary says something for the revolutionary level of match aptitude he is bringing to the game.

In my mind this kind of back play revolution has not been seen since Chris Ashton invented following the ball.

Thoughts?

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Is it time to test Salii at 12 against Arg and rest Nonu for SA? 12 is a position where we're not testing depth.

YES!

Isn't Taylor a little small for 12 with the way NZ play it? And if you had him at 12 would you then have Cruden at 10? That's quite a light backline from 10-13.

Off topic a little, when's SBW coming back to Union? He was one of the best players in world rugby when he left and would add a whole new dimension to this side.

Against Argentina I'd bring in Halai on a wing and move Ben smith to 13, saili at 12 and rest both nonu and Conrad smith. Argentina don't have the kicking game SA have and the lighter midfield can be balanced with size out wide. Savea and Halai both have the game to mix it up in the midfield. 

Also think Tim Mickelson or Gillies Kaka would be cross code sensations at 12 for the ABs.

I doubt we would rest both Nonu and Smith at the same time though. Give Nonu a break and start Saili with support from Carter and C Smith - nice and safe. Back reserves would be Kerr Barlow, Barrett and Nonu.

Then next game against Arg put Nonu back on with B Smith at 13 and gave Halai a run on the wing with C Smith on the bench with Kerr Barlow and Barrett.