Aaron Smith (rugby union)

Aaron Smith

Full name	Aaron Luke Smith
Date of birth	(1988-11-21) 21 November 1988
Place of birth	Feilding, New Zealand
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	85 kg (187 lb)
School	Feilding High School
Rugby union career
Playing career
Position	Halfback
New Zealand No.	1112
Amateur clubs
Years	Club / team
	Feilding RFC
Provincial/State sides
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2008–	Manawatu	43	(45)
correct as of 4 November 2012.
Super Rugby
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2011–	Highlanders	89	(90)
correct as of 5 July 2015.
National team(s)
Years	Club / team	Caps	(points)
2010 2012–	Māori All Blacks New Zealand	3 47	(0) (62)
correct as of 31 October 2015.

Aaron Luke Smith (born 21 November 1988) is a rugby union player who plays for New Zealand – the All Blacks – in international rugby. He plays at half back in the team. Smith played for the Māori All Blacks in 2010, and was first selected for the All Blacks in 2012. He is a key member of the 2015 Rugby World Cup winning team. He also plays for the Highlanders in Super Rugby, and for Manawatu in the ITM Cup.

Playing career

Provincial rugby

Smith made his debut for Manawatu in the 2008 Air New Zealand Cup at the age of 19, making several substitute appearances for the Turbos. This included the historic 25–24 win over Canterbury in Round 1 and the 38–38 draw with Waikato in Round 3. Smith and fellow debutante Aaron Cruden on both of these occasions were substituted on together showing their potential by pulling back big deficits through their brilliance. They would become one of the best 9–10 combinations in the competition for the next four years and were later selected together for the All Blacks in 2012.

For the 2009 Air New Zealand Cup, Smith established himself as the first-choice half-back for Manawatu, starting all 13 games over the course of the season and scoring his first representative try. He continued as the starter in the 2010 ITM Cup, and established himself as one of the top half-backs in the competition and earning a Super Rugby contract.

In the 2011 ITM Cup, Smith continued to improve and had a successful season, scoring five tries helping the improved Manawatu squad which reached the Championship final.

Super Rugby

Aaron Smith playing for the Highlanders

Smith was included in the Blues wider training group for the 2010 Super 14 season, but did not see any game action for the Auckland-based side.

For the 2011 Super Rugby season, Smith signed for the Highlanders, coached by Jamie Joseph, who had previously coached Smith with the New Zealand Māori. Smith had a successful debut season, beating out Sean Romans for the job as backup to starting half-back (and All Black) Jimmy Cowan, and made 12 appearances including 3 starts.

International career

On the back of his strong performances for Manawatu, Smith, of Ngāti Kahungunu descent, was selected to the New Zealand Māori for their 2010 Centenary Series. He came on as a substitute against the New Zealand Barbarians after Chris Smylie suffered a fractured cheekbone, and started in the squad's historic victories over Ireland and England.

On the back of a successful Highlanders season Smith made his All Blacks debut on 9 June 2012, against Ireland. By the time of the 2013 season Smith had become the first choice halfback for the national team.

External links

• Aaron Smith at AllBlacks.com
• Highlanders profile
• ESPN Profiel

Awards
Preceded by Liam Messam	Tom French Memorial Māori rugby union player of the year 2014	Succeeded by Nehe Milner-Skudder