Smith feels lucky but proud of what he achieved

Ben Smith reflects back on moments from his illustrious career.

He is widely regarded as the greatest rugby player Otago has produced. But he never expected to be the subject of a book.

As Ben Smith: More Than A Game is launched this week, the 84-test former All Black has a back and forth with Otago Daily Times sports editor Hayden Meikle.

You’re one of the most humble people I know. What convinced you to write a book with my old mate Neal Wallace?

It was a firm ‘‘no’’ to start with. Just the thought of doing a book was not really my thing. But I started to think about my grandparents, and how I would have been really interested if they had written a book about what they had been through. So I got thinking about my own kids. Vinnie’s only 1, so me playing rugby is not something he will go through. But there’s probably an opportunity for them in the next 10 years to pick up some things.

The coolest thing was that my daughter Annabelle was at the breakfast table the other day, having a read through the book. She’s 7 now so she was just reading it and asking a couple of questions. That was probably the thing for me that said I’d made the right decision.

I had also probably reflected back on how there were so many people in my career who helped me get to where I got. Some I knew really well, some I just bumped into a few times, and some I didn’t really know but they rallied in behind me. So it was a way of putting everything down on paper and just sort of recollecting everything.

How did you enjoy the process?

We’ve got a wee fella that doesn’t sleep, so I’m sure Neal got frustrated at times. But it was quite a good process just to look back through from when I was a young fella to what is happening now. I enjoyed it. But I also found it hard. There’s not a lot of space upstairs at times, ha ha. So even just trying to remember things - I tend to forget what I had for breakfast. So really thinking about things that happened years ago was quite tough. But I like how Neal structured it by interviewing different people. That would spark memories and cue things that happened throughout my life. I enjoyed that.

I mentioned your humility. I think that reflects your background and your family. But can you look back now and say, wow, I’m Ben Smith and I played 84 tests and 153 games for the Highlanders and for clubs in France and Japan, and I’m pretty damn proud of what I achieved with a rugby ball?

Yeah, definitely. I remember people sort of saying nice things about me when I was in the rugby scene, and saying that it goes quickly and to make sure I enjoy it. It does go fast. Looking back now, I just feel lucky. Proud of what I achieved, for sure, but also just really thinking about the people I met along the way. That’s the beauty of a team sport. You get success through what you do together. We had some great times - with all the teams I’ve been involved with. And pulling out some of those stories in the book was a lot of fun.

Any regrets?

There’s always stuff you wish you’d done differently. Things don’t always go to plan. I just reflect back on a few things and treat them as learning curves. You’ve got to take the good with the bad. I would just like to think that anyone who knew me, or even people looking from the outside, knew I gave everything 100% and went at it full noise and didn’t die wondering. Sometimes it comes off and sometimes it doesn’t. But I wouldn’t say I’ve got a whole lot of regrets.

Rugby consumed your life for a long time, and no doubt you had to make a lot of sacrifices to make it your career. Your wife, Katie, was also an exceptional sportswoman. Have you thought about how you will feel if one of your children wants to pursue sport at the top level?

It’s given me great experiences. I haven’t forced my kids into playing rugby but they’re loving it. If they wanted to make it a career, I’m with them all the way. I think sport - rugby or netball or whatever - is great to be a part of. I think it teaches you lifelong skills, and it’s great to be part of something bigger than yourself. So I’d happily steer my kids into sport, and professional sport is fantastic.

My daughter is competitive as hell, and I don’t want to change that. It’s interesting times around how the world views that sort of thing. The ‘‘everyone is a winner’’ mentality, you know. I want my kids just to compete and give it their all, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting to win.

This is Katie’s story as much as yours, and the book really shows the remarkable impact she has had on your life since you were teenagers. How do you sum up what she has meant to you and to your career?

She’s been the brains of the operation, I suppose. She sorts everything at home, and makes sure the family is all sorted. She sacrificed a lot. She was a pretty good sportsperson in her own right but she sort of had to put that to the side while I pursued rugby, which I appreciate. We’re lucky that we’ve gone through this whole journey together.

And the cool thing with the book is that she’s been able to give her opinion and be honest around how things were tracking for her at different times. She’s been part of the whole process. People who have been in my corner from the get-go have set me up to be successful, and she’s at the heart of that.

Earlier this year, you weren’t technically retired. You’d talked about maybe dusting off the boots for one more season somewhere - United States rugby was rumoured. But when it boiled down to it, was it just time to be Ben Smith the husband and father rather than Ben Smith the rugby player?

I just think the family had to take priority at some point. The kids are settled here at school with good mates, and they’re probably at the point when they want Dad around. They don’t want me being in the States and coming back. It was quite tough even just doing a couple of months at the start of this year in Japan. So, yeah, it was just time to be a bit more settled.

And out of nowhere, it seemed to us, you dipped into coaching with Otago in the NPC. How did that happen?

Yeah, I was just involved with the counter-attack and turnover ball part of the game. I didn’t think I’d ever jump into coaching, but I really enjoyed it and they were a good crew. Sass [Otago coach Tom Donnelly] just asked if I wanted to do it, and that was the portfolio. It was a part of the game I really enjoyed, and I think there are some opportunities there.

And now you’re helping out the Highlanders?

Pretty similar stuff, yeah. I’m just looking to learn from the coaches that are here. It’s just a part-time role. It’s funny because I’ve gone from coaching under-5s and under-7s to doing a wee bit with Otago and now the Highlanders. I know I’ve got a lot to learn. But it’s a great opportunity, and hopefully I can pass on some stuff and help our outside backs.

You’re also getting into some property development work, the book reveals. Ben Smith the magnate?

Hah. There was probably a bit more info than we needed to put in there. I’ve just been lucky enough to do a couple of projects in Dunedin with David Grant. He’s pretty on to it. We went to primary school together. I guess when you finish rugby, you try to work out what to do next, because life has been so structured, and you feel at a loose end a wee bit. It’s been good to be back in a rugby environment, but it’s also nice to do some bits and pieces outside it.

Do you have aspirations to be a fulltime coach?

I’m pretty patient. I enjoyed doing a little bit with Otago, and I want to see how it goes with the Highlanders. I’ll take it as it comes. But it’s nice to help put a plan in place and see players go and do it.

The Highlanders had an awful season - with a team stacked with All Blacks - in 2013. I was disappointed there wasn’t more about that season in the book. Why didn’t you talk more about it?

I can’t really remember what I said, ha ha. But there wasn’t anything left out on purpose. There were great learnings there. The fact that we weren’t successful in 2013 actually helped us go on and win in 2015.

Did that 2013 season hurt, for a man who is Highlanders to the core?

I suppose it did. Yeah, it did hurt. And I think I remember there were those whispers that people were asking if we should even have a team in Dunedin. I suppose it comes back to our identity as a team, and what we’re about. I think we lost a bit of that. It’s not always about the players - it’s about how a team can be cohesive and work for each other, and that doesn’t happen in an instant.

At the same time, it hurt because we weren’t actually that far away. We were only just losing games, and it became pretty devastating as it snowballed, Luckily, they put a lot of trust in the coaching team to bring it back. We could have easily started again, but we learned the lessons and got better.

What about the state of the Highlanders right now? They don’t have the number of All Blacks or the resources of other teams. Can they find that magic recipe to build a winning team again?

I think the exciting thing, and half the reason I want to be involved, is that we’ve got some really good young talent coming through. Kane Jury’s doing a great job getting the next crop coming through. Some of these guys - Cam Millar, Oliver Haig, Jake Te Hiwi - are great young men who will set us up well for the future. Mix in the other young talent and the other established players, and I think it’s pretty exciting.

At the end of the day, I’m just a Highlanders fan who wants to see this team do well. And I think there’s some great work being done.

There are the young fellows but there is also the man, the myth, the legend. Aaron Smith - tell me what he means to you and the Highlanders, especially as we assume next season will be his last.

Oh. Hard to put into words. He’s going to leave a massive hole when you look at what he’s achieved in the game. As his mate, I’m excited - though I’m just guessing - that he might get an opportunity to go overseas. And he can be really proud at what he’s achieved here.

Someone asked me about Nug, and I talked about how he changed the game. Before him, there was the model of big guys who were putting in big hits. All of a sudden, he came in and the game was all about speed of pass and quick taps and energy. His voice - you can hear it from a mile away, rallying people to get into the right spot. He just has the ability to get guys around him to play better, and that will really be missed.

Are the All Blacks going to win the World Cup next year?

I think we’re a chance, like anyone else. I think it’s going to be a really interesting World Cup because it’s quite wide open. France, Ireland, teams like that. It’s a tough tournament. Quarterfinal, semifinal, final - if we get there.

We just need to find some consistency. And it can be hard to do that. I suppose we’ve been challenged at times this year but I think we worked our way back into some form. I think the lessons we learned this year will set us up well, and it’s better to learn them the year before a World Cup. At least we’ve got a chance to fix them.

Who are you picking in the back three?

I think the main thing is that Jordie [Barrett] has to play 12 now. He’s been so good. Hopefully Will Jordan comes back on to the wing, and Caleb Clarke on the other. Although Mark Telea played really well there. And Beaudy [Barrett] at fullback.

Are you a good rugby watcher now?

Yeah, I enjoy it. I really enjoyed the brand of rugby at the women’s World Cup too. My daughter played in a team with all boys, and it was nice to watch the women’s game with her and think about becoming the next Stacey Fluhler.

hayden.meikle@odt.co.nz