Ben Smith - All Black, Highlander, rugby dad

There is Ben Smith, All Black and Highlanders fullback.

Then there is Ben Smith, rugby parent and Saturday morning spectator.

Smith will captain his Highlanders side in the match against the Lions tonight, but his commitment to the oval ball today will not be confined to his own game. He will also watch his daughter, Annabelle, turn out for Green Island in an under-5 match earlier in the day.

Smith walked down memory lane yesterday, talking about his recollections of playing the game when he was a youngster, and the impact it had on his current career.

"I was one of those small runty kids who took a wee bit to grow. I ended up playing halfback when I was younger. It did not matter too much about size ... I started off playing No 8 and played a few positions when I was coming through."

Smith said experiencing different positions helped him in the longer run. But enjoyment was the key then and it still is.

"When you are younger and playing at school and club level you just do what is right for the team ... I think the big one with kids and rugby is you play the game because you love it. You have always got to love it. You can’t play the game because you think you are going to make a career out of it.

"If you do, you are not doing it for the right reasons. You want to get along and enjoy what you do and try and contribute to your team — that is the most important thing. Not to play a sport because you think it is going to be a career opportunity. If you do you are going to get let down."

Smith said he did not think he could make a career out of the game until he was about 20.

"For me that was pretty special — to be paid to play rugby, but I would have been happy enough to go out to Green Island and play club footy. That is something people need to realise — at club level there is some massive benefits. Get alongside guys, you learn about what they are up to, what they do. A massive amount of camaraderie is here at the Highlanders and then at club level."

Smith is stuck on 49 games for Green Island, and one day hopes to get to a half century.

The next generation, though, is coming along. His daughter, Annabelle (3), plays Rippa Rugby for the club.

"It is quite good. Over the last few games they’ve got a lot better ... one of them gets it and then just beelines for the tryline. When they get ripped they just pass it to the next person.

"Just to see the kids and the enjoyment they get out of it — that is a huge buzz for a parent.

"There is a few distractions. We played at Southern the other week and there is a playground there and a few of them took off for the playground. At the top ground at Green Island there was a horse and a few of the kids went to feed the horse.

"You’ve got to watch where you play these games — you need an isolated game in the middle of nowhere with no farm animals."

 

Super Rugby
Forsyth Barr Stadium, today, 7.35pm

Highlanders: Ben Smith (captain), Waisake Naholo, Rob Thompson, Tei Walden, Tevita Nabura, Lima Sopoaga, Kayne Hammington, Luke Whitelock, James Lentjes, Elliot Dixon, Tom Franklin, Alex Ainley, Tyrel Lomax, Liam Coltman, Daniel Lienert-Brown. Reserves: Ash Dixon, Aki Seiuli, Kalolo Tuiloma, Josh Dickson, Marino Mikaele Tu’u, Josh Renton, Josh Ioane, Sio Tomkinson.

Lions: Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combinck, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Elton Jantjies, Nic Groom, Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert (captain), Cyle Brink, Marvin Orie, Andries Ferreira, Johannes Jonker, Robbie Coetzee, Dylan Smith. Reserves: Jacques van Rooyen, Ruan Dreyer, Jacobie Adriannse, Lourens Erasmus, Dillon Smit, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Slyvian Mahuza

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)