It is stating the obvious to say Friday night will be a significant moment in the club’s history.
To have a player Jamie and I signed back in late 2010 sign off this Friday night at Forsyth Barr Stadium with 184 games for the Highlanders is very special.
Aaron Smith, affectionately known as Nuggie (and a gold nugget he has been), has been an integral part of the Highlanders right from day one.
Nuggie has been a standout player for us, consistently demonstrating his exceptional skills on the field and his leadership on and off.
The amount of work and the dedication he puts into his preparation (being a better player every day) is what gives him consistently high performances week after week, and in my view this has enabled his longevity at the highest level of our game.
Nuggie’s contribution to the club and the energy he brings make him stand out among his peers.
He has been a key contributor to our successes, including that fantastic championship in 2015. The impact he has had off the field is just as significant.
Being the consummate professional, he has been an outstanding ambassador for the club and a positive role model for young players.
We are grateful for everything that Aaron has done for the Highlanders. We will all miss him, and we wish Teagan, Luka, Leo and Aaron all the best for their future endeavours.
We know he will continue to achieve great things on and off the field, and with Nuggie we will say farewell not goodbye.
Being only 17 games short of being the most-capped New Zealand Super Rugby player of all time, I wouldn’t bet against Nuggie being lured back to the Highlanders for a final fling after Japan. Fingers crossed.
