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Aaron Smith has dismissed any early homecoming speech, saying such conversation would be a “disservice” to the All Blacks jersey.
Veteran running back Smith has been designated to start against Argentina in Sydney on Saturday night after having rested from the forgettable 24-22 loss to the Wallabies in Brisbane last weekend.
Smith, who will win his 96th international game and will be backed by Brad Weber from the bench, was deeply missed at Suncorp Stadium when the Wallabies completed a remarkable turnaround from their 43-5 loss to the All Blacks in Sydney a week earlier.
Brett Phibbs / AP
Veteran running back Aaron Smith doesn’t want to think about returning to New Zealand until the All Blacks have played Argentina.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster has confirmed that some players will return to New Zealand next week, with suspended prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi a logical candidate to board an early flight given he is no longer able to participate in the Three Nations. But Smith brushed aside questions about whether this will be his last game in the All Blacks jersey for 2020.
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“We’re all here getting ready to play and if they bring up that conversation, I guess you’re going that way,” Smith said.
“But that’s next week. Especially after the game we had on the weekend, all our focus is on Saturday. Trying to play a brand of rugby that we are proud of, to correct it.
“Whatever happens next week, happens next week.”
Chris Hyde / Getty Images
TJ Perenara has been left out of matchday 23 of the match against Argentina.
Foster has three midfielders on his team, with TJ Perenara not selected for matchday 23 for the match against Argentina. That means there is scope for one of the No. 9s to return to New Zealand, where they will have to spend two weeks in quarantine before being reunited with their family and friends.
Smith was adamant in his opinion that no one should think about boarding a flight until a decision is made on whether they will be needed for the final match against Argentina in Newcastle on November 21.
“You are not doing your job and contributing to the environment and to our training day,” Smith said. “It would be a disservice to the shirt.”
The All Blacks have never lost to Argentina, and with Foster reacting to Brisbane’s defeat by deploying his strongest team, the intention is to react with a full performance at Bankwest Stadium.
Following the loss at dead rubber, Smith described the All Blacks review as “raw and tough.”
Having watched him from the touchline, Smith said he couldn’t blame the effort of his teammates, but said the review exposed some flaws in his decision-making after Tu’ungafasi received a red card.
“Obviously, with the situations that happened, with the red cards, your mentality always changes to maybe a little bit more strict and you stop looking for all those opportunities because you are down to a man.
“A lot was really about how we reacted at critical moments. Australia had a plan to try to annoy us and get us out of our game. We reviewed a lot of that and how we reacted. ”
Smith noted that he expected Argentine interiors Tomás Cubelli and Nicolás Sánchez to try to dictate the game.
In Brisbane, the All Blacks said they wanted to test the mettle of Wallaby No. 10 Reece Hodge, but his performance was barely compromised by defense as his forwards did the work for him and his fellow running backs.
The All Blacks hope that the Argentine forwards will repeat the effort of the Australians.
“I’m sure Argentina will try to do the same kinds of things,” Smith said. “Off the ball, a little physicality; they’re always quite fiery, so I’d say they’ll just play their normal game.”
