All Blacks: Shaking off the weight of the world

Aaron Smith of the All Blacks passes the ball during The Rugby Championship match between the Australia Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images.

Aaron Smith will make a big impact on this year’s RWC ... if he can focus on his game.

Aaron Smith, the Super Rugby championship winner and first-choice All Black halfback, now assured of his immediate future after re-signing with New Zealand Rugby, could do well to consider the lessons learned during his horrific season at the Highlanders in 2013 as he stands on the brink of his first World Cup.

After making his All Black debut in 2012 and shining in his role as distributor extraordinaire - all fast feet, hands, and, usually, mouth as he nagged at his forwards - Smith struggled for a Highlanders team which won only three games all season and finished 14th - second to last.

His form was such that he needed a reminder from the national coaches to concentrate on his own game, rather than everyone else's, as Jamie Joseph and his men bounced from defeat to defeat. Rather than concentrating on his point of difference - his speed of foot and pass - the little man tried to carry his team.

"Clearly he's getting frustrated, you can see that in his game, and he's just got to let those frustrations go and get on with it," All Black coach Steve Hansen said at the time.

"He's a young player who had success last year and he's come back and he's trying to be the ultimate professional and he's probably trying too hard. He's looking to do everything rather than concentrating on the things that he does well."

The tough times endured by Smith, Joseph and the Highlanders seem a world away months after they comprehensively beat the Hurricanes to win their first championship. It might be tempting for Smith to forget them, but if he is to shine at the World Cup he would do well to keep them in mind.

Because there have been signs this year during his three tests for the All Blacks that he is again trying too much. He was fired up before his first assignment of the season against South Africa in Johannesburg when he said he was effectively seeking revenge for the defeat the year before, and he had what was generally considered his worst game in black next time out in the defeat to Australia, a test in which he was sinbinned for a high tackle. There was too much haste, not enough speed.

The 26-year-old was better a week later in the All Blacks' demolition job against the Wallabies, but his style of game prefers front-foot ball, and his team got that at Eden Park.

Joseph said after Smith confirmed he had signed with NZR until 2019: "Since I have known Aaron, he has blossomed into one of the best halfbacks I have seen. In a sense he is redefining the halfback role by the way he plays, and you know players like that don't come along that often."

Smith's pace and fitness mean he can get to more breakdowns than just about any other player. Together with his pass, he is redefining the No9's role, as Joseph said.

But while his job description at the Highlanders consists of playmaker and strategist as well as his core roles, Smith should pare it down again for the All Blacks ahead of the World Cup. Then his year could get even better.