All Blacks: Smith completes ton at the 'Brook

Wayne Smith begins his 10th season with the All Blacks this Saturday at Carisbrook. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Wayne Smith will tally 100 tests of coaching with the All Blacks when they begin their latest campaign on Saturday against France in Dunedin.

Twice, Smith was in the All Black coaches' box at World Cups, as assistant in 1999 and 2007, when France delivered knockout tournament blows. In between those defeats he was head coach for two years before taking up a three-year role with Northampton.

This is the start of his 10th season with the All Blacks, one which was in doubt last year as Smith balanced the lure of overseas offers against his passion for the All Blacks.

His decision to continue will see him raise his All Black coaching ton at Carisbrook, well ahead of supremo Graham Henry, who will take the side into test battle for the 64th time.

Smith has no limits to his rugby passion, his enthusiasm for coaching and absorbing new theories remains as unfettered as it was in 1998 when he began as All Black assistant to John Hart with a victory against England at Carisbrook. Smith's century circle will be achieved at the same ground as moves gather momentum to have a new test ground ready for the 2011 World Cup on the other side of the city.

That challenge is for the city fathers, while Smith and his coaching cohorts have been working ultra-hard not to flood the All Blacks with too much information.

"We have tried to be a bit smarter the way we have handled this year but I think we always make errors in our preparation," Smith conceded.

"It is quite a complex week and having new players probably makes it more exciting than anything; it does not make it any more difficult.

"We have got a lot of players out, clearly, through injury, but if you look at the team most of them are form players from the Super 14 but there are some we have picked on what we know they can do.

"Most of these players are the form players, they are young but they are good and the expectations for them are the same as for any other All Black and that is to put it on the track on Saturday night." One of the critical areas would be at 8, 9 and 10 - the hinge of the team where Liam Messam, Jimmy Cowan and Stephen Donald needed to strike up some strong empathy and cohesion.

Donald had the form from Super 14, he had the maturity, he was a hard worker with lots of character who did not take any shortcuts in his preparation or training.

He had shown he could handle the big stage when he came on for the last 30 minutes against the Wallabies in Brisbane last season and then started against Scotland on the Grand Slam tour.

The expectations were that Donald would nail his first test start in New Zealand.

New captain Mils Muliaina would bring authority but the other leaders in the side also had to deliver.

Midfielder Ma'a Nonu was in great shape and had continued the good midfield form he had shown last season.

"He is the lightest I have seen him, he is the quickest I have seen him and I think at the end of the day that's what counts for him," Smith said.

"He is a big part of our team now, he is really important in terms of reading space for Stephen [Donald], passing on information and he proved really good at that last year.

"I know Daniel [Carter] spoke highly of that role, so he has just got to continue on with that and keep developing that side of his game. We know he has got the explosive part."

The All Blacks would be more dangerous if they got greater variety into their game and the rule changes offered those options.

Nonu could kick, even if he did not show that skill a great deal, but he could offer that choice in a relieving pivot role.

Nonu and Isaia Toeava were players with similar running instincts but the selectors felt they also provided enough diversity.

All Blacks
Mils Muliaina (captain), Joe Rokocoko, Isaia Toeava, Ma'a Nonu, Rudi Wulf, Stephen Donald, Jimmy Cowan, Liam Messam, Adam Thomson, Kieran Read, Isaac Ross, Brad Thorn, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Keven Mealamu, John Afoa, Bryn Evans, Tanerau Latimer, Piri Weepu, Luke McAlister, Cory Jane.

France
Maxime Medard, Cedric Heymans, Mathieu Bastareaud, Vincent Clerc, Damien Traille, Francois Trinh-Duc, Julien Dupuy, Louis Picamoles, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Romain Millo-Chluski, Pascal Pape, Sylvain Marconnet, William Servat, Fabien Barcella.

Reserves: Dimitri Szarzewski, Nicolas Mas, Thomas Domingo, Sebastien Chabal, Remy Martin, Julien Puricelli, Dimitri Yachvili, Yannick Jauzion, Alexis Palisson (two to be omitted).