Ben Smith just wants Finn Hurley to keep being Finn Hurley.
Smith, who lit up the fullback jersey in 153 games for the Highlanders over a decade, is now an assistant coach with the team and responsible, in part, for guiding the fortunes of his heir apparent.
Hurley set Super Rugby ablaze when he scored two tries and peeled off 135 attacking metres to help the Highlanders upset the Blues 29-21 at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday night.
Naturally, there is much interest in what Smith thinks of the prodigy, who went to Otago Boys’ High School (Smith was a King’s man) but is otherwise following in the assistant coach’s footsteps at club, provincial and Super Rugby level.
"He’s a fellow Green Island Grizzly, so that’s a tick there," Smith said yesterday.
"He got opportunities with the game. I think 14 other players out there set him up to do the things he was doing.
"Like a lot of our guys, Finn was just really keen for an opportunity. He got an opportunity to play at the weekend and he took that.
"From a confidence point of view, against quality opposition and marking Beauden Barrett and their wings and the talent they’ve got, that will set Finn up."
What does Smith want to see from Hurley now?
Simple, really.
"Just more of the same, I think.
"I think Finn’s at his best — with the ability he has — to pop up everywhere. He’s got a pretty remarkable skillset, and it’s just being able to showcase that at the right time and being able to use that skillset to create opportunities.
"I don’t think there’s too any surprises because we’ve seen him train like that all preseason. He’s able to do some special things."
While Hurley grabbed the spotlight, it is possible another member of the Highlanders backline deserves even more plaudits this season.
Timoci "Jim" Tavatavanawai, promoted to co-captain and playing second five instead of his usual wing thanks to an early injury toll, has arguably been Super Rugby’s MVP through two rounds.
He won three turnovers against both the Waratahs and the Blues — backs just do not do that — kicked a 50-22 in both games and generally terrorised the Blues on Saturday night.
"I just thought he was inspirational with how he led," Smith said.
"He leads by his actions and what he does out there on the field. As a rugby player, he can do some things that others can’t."
The sight of a proud Pasifika co-captain playing like a man possessed for the Highlanders has echoes of what Nasi Manu did for the club a decade ago.
Smith is well placed to comment as he was Manu’s fellow leader.
"There are a lot of similarities there in how he [Tavatavanawai] prepares for a game. He goes to dark places as far as what he’s prepared to do within a rugby game, and I remember Nasi being the same.
"Jim’s very similar. I think he gives a lot of guys the ability to see him and how he prepares, and they sort of follow his lead."
The Highlanders hope to have both their starting props available for the game against Moana Pasifika in Auckland on Friday night.
Saula Ma’u left the field after just 10 minutes against the Blues after wrenching his neck. While he failed the initial HIA, he was cleared by the medical team in the next stage of the process.
Ma’u trained yesterday, as did Ethan de Groot, whose knee knock on Saturday night did not leave lasting damage.
— Highlanders prop Daniel Lienert-Brown was facing the foul play review committee last night.
Lienert-Brown faced a charge of dangerous play following an incident in the 58th minute of the game against the Blues.
The veteran prop clattered into a ruck and collided with Blues halfback Taufa Funaki. He was sent to the bin and received an off-field upgrade to a red card.
