The panel on Sky Sport’s The Breakdown continue their search for NZ's Greatest XV, this week looking at the best ever All Blacks halves. Video / Sky Sport
Aaron Smith and Dan Carter are the greatest All Blacks halfback and No 10 of all time, according to the experts and public vote.
Over eight weeks, Sky Sport have assembled a voting panel of experts – rugby commentators Grant Nisbett, Ken Laban and Rikki Swannell, as well as NZME journalist Phil Gifford – to discuss and debate the best ever All Blacks team, and ultimately give fans the opportunity to vote for who they believe should make the Greatest XV in each position.
The brainchild of Sir John Kirwan and Sir Graham Henry, the Greatest XV will identify the 15 greatest All Blacks of all time, as well as a captain, coach and bench.
The winners of the vote from the panel and the public will be revealed every Monday at 8.30pm on the Breakdown on Sky Sport 1, culminating in a gala event celebrating the winners in September.
Last week, the nominees for the halves were announced, where the panel made their decision and the vote went to the public.
The four finalists for halfback were Sid Going (29 tests from 1967-1977), Dave Loveridge (24 tests from 1978-1985), Justin Marshall (81 tests from 1995-2005) and Aaron Smith (99 tests from 2012-present).
The four first fives were Grant Fox (46 tests from 1985-1993), Andrew Mehrtens (70 tests from 1995-2004), Dan Carter (112 tests from 2003-2015) and Beauden Barrett (91 tests from 2012-present).
Both the panel and the public landed on Smith at halfback (77 per cent of the public vote) and Carter at first five (89 per cent of the public vote).
Former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains said there's probably no one with as complete a game as Smith.
"You give me one part of his game that isn't up there as a great All Black," Mains said. "He's got all of the skills and all of the halfback traits: passes brilliantly, passes quickly; communicates with his forwards well; takes gaps when it's on; knows when to run, when to pass, how to kick, where to kick. I don't think I've ever seen a halfback that is more complete at his game than Aaron Smith is."
Former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said Carter made the game look easy.
"The great players have time and make things look easy, when they're not. And why does someone look like they have time? It's because they're calm under pressure and they execute things spot on. They don't miss those opportunities. And that's something he did consistently throughout his career."
This week, the public will be voting on the greatest All Blacks second five and centre.
Vote via Facebook using the links below (voting closes midnight Wednesday):
Second five
Second fives. Photo / Sky
Bill Osborne (16 tests from 1975-1982) Walter Little (50 tests from 1990-1998) Warwick Taylor (24 tests from 1983-1988) Ma'a Nonu (103 tests from 2003-2015)
Bruce Robertson (34 tests from 1972-1981) Joe Stanley (27 tests from 1986-1990) Tana Umaga (74 tests from 1997-2005) Conrad Smith (94 tests from 2004-2015)
Next week, the midfield winners will be revealed and the panel will debate the greatest All Blacks outside backs.
Watch NZ's Greatest XV on the Breakdown on Sky Sport 1 every Monday at 8.30pm or catch up on nzherald.co.nz/sport every Tuesday. Watch the Breakdown's full Greatest XV segment in the video player above.
