The 32-year-old will take up a three-year contract in Japan. Video / NZ Rugby
As the clock ticks down on the All Blacks captaincy debate, Aaron Smith is backing Ardie Savea to assume the coveted role.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson will unveil a new national captain in the next month for the three-test series against England and Fiji in July after Sam Cane relinquished the leadership mantle before retiring from test rugby at the end of this year.
Crusaders captain Scott Barrett and incumbent World Rugby player of the year Ardie Savea are widely thought to be the leading contenders to replace Cane.
All Blacks centurion Smith has returned home after his first season in Japan with Toyota. In a wide-ranging interview with the Rugby Direct podcast, Smith discussed the merits of both captaincy candidates before outlining his view on why Savea is the best man for the job, partly because he has led the All Blacks on eight previous occasions.
“It’s an interesting one because you’ve got two different types of players and personalities,” Smith told Rugby Direct. “Scott and Ardie are both men of action, not many words. They’re powerful when they do speak and the leadership quality in both is high.
All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea with halfback Aaron Smith after Savea's 100th test — the 2021 Bledisloe Cup match against Australia at Eden Park. Photo / www.photosport.nz
“For me you’ve got to go with your best player and the best player in the world last year was Ardie Savea — and he has been for a while. It was a two-horse race between him and Antoine Dupont for a couple of years there. I thought Ardie was robbed a couple of years ago, but it is what it is.
“Ardie’s credentials of when he’s led and how he’s led probably give him a jump-start. He led us in certain games in 2021 [including the centenary victory against the Springboks] and last year at the World Cup. He leant heavily on us older boys, but his performances speak for themselves. When he comes into a huddle and says something, you know he’s doing it.
“If you gave it to Scooter [Barrett], which is a great option, you’re favouring the cohesiveness with Razor. They’ve got that connection. They’ve won titles as coach and captain together.”
While Savea and Barrett, both of who are 30, are considered front-runners for the captaincy, Smith put forward two other senior figures.
“It sounds like a two-horse race, but you’ve got guys with huge intangibles like Beauden Barrett. He’s a massive leader with a calm head and a lot of experience.
“One who doesn’t get talked about enough is Codie Taylor. He’s an outstanding performer, the way he prepares himself and is diligent around his homework and the mana he carries.”
‘He can do it all’
Savea, like Beauden Barrett and Cane, has completed his lucrative six-month sabbatical with Japanese club Kobe following the World Cup. Smith believes time out of New Zealand should not count against Savea, while highlighting some of his unheralded off-field qualities.
“The group will help the captain, but someone has to wear the hat. You could say Ardie hasn’t been playing in New Zealand, but test rugby is a different arena. The last time we were in that arena as All Blacks, Ardie Savea was the best player. You have to go with that,” Smith said.
“It’d be interesting to see what he’d say, but if you take the decision out of his hands and make him do it, I’d love to see where he would go.
“The big thing for Ardie is his sway around the emotional heartbeat of a team. When we were in the All Blacks him and Richie [Mo’unga] were in the feeling of our team; what’s the mood, are we too up, are we too down. Ardie’s reading of that stuff is critical. That’s why you need that balance in a leadership group of serious, funny guys. Ardie and Richie were always on the beat of our spirit.
“Ardie’s emotional IQ is high. People probably don’t give him as much credit for that. He’s a strong voice. He will always challenge people, coaches, media on what he believes in. He’s got such a big heart. From a young, talented man coming in to changing gears at the 2019 World Cup and becoming one of the best players in the world, he’s the first guy you pick.
“He still amazes me and is someone I really enjoyed playing with because he can do it all.”
Prior to his announcement, Smith wasn’t aware of Cane’s intention to stand down from the All Blacks captaincy and move to Japan at the end of the year.
While Cane isn’t available until August due to an ongoing back injury and is no longer guaranteed test selection, Smith believes the 32-year-old openside has plenty to offer the All Blacks this season.
“It’s a huge call for him. What a guy and what he’s given to the jersey. You don’t reach 95 tests without being strong, resilient and driven. That’s Sam Cane in a nutshell. I know in my last year it really helped me knowing the end is near and you can give it everything.
“If there’s a guy that deserves to wear a silver cap and play 100 tests, it’s Sam Cane.
“If you think about the last two years of his captaincy through a really tough period in All Blacks history, he was stoic, strong. To have your coach and captain be quite brutally attacked publicly, he stayed so focused around the job at hand and leading our group.
“There was a lot of experience around him, but he still had to face the brunt of that. The way he got through it was a credit to him. Those calls were made between him and Razor. I hope this year he gets the chance to finish strong.
Scott Robertson has resisted any temptation to rotate his side for the All Blacks’ year-ending test against Italy, naming as strong a side as possible for Sunday’s clash.
