All Blacks and Melbourne Storm bridging cross-code divide

All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith recently spent time in Melbourne observing the Storm's NRL pre-season training. Photo / melbournestorm.com.au.

All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith is comfortable sharing information with rugby league club Melbourne Storm saying both codes have plenty to learn from one another.

During a recent visit to Storm headquarters to observe the NRL team's pre-season preparations under coach Craig Bellamy, Smith spoke candidly in an interview on the club's website about the mutual respect between the two cross-code organisations and the benefit of sharing relevant playing and training theories and ideologies.

"The All Blacks have a pretty close relationship with Melbourne Storm," Smith told Storm TV.

"There's a lot of synergy...there is a lot of cross code stuff that can be shared without worrying too much about competition.

"It's a safe environment, it's a good place to share ideas and I think it benefits both of us."

The Storm and All Blacks first connected at an Auckland training camp in 2010 and have maintained an association ever since.

Smith was a guest of the Storm at last NRL Auckland Nines at Eden Park, while Bellamy and Storm Football Director Frank Ponissi spent a week with the All Blacks in Chicago last November ahead of their historic defeat to Ireland.