All Blacks: Smith excited by prospect of facing O'Driscoll

Conrad Smith. Photo / NZ Herald

Amid talk of tight schedules and a short preparation time, there is plenty for All Blacks centre Conrad Smith to get excited about as the first test against Ireland looms.

At Eden Park on Saturday night he gets a chance to come up against a midfielder he respects in Brian O'Driscoll and link up again with either his old mate Ma'a Nonu or the in-form and supremely talented Sonny Bill Williams.

Both teams will be named on Thursday but it's likely Smith will form a partnership with Williams, who has been outstanding in his first season with the Chiefs this year. Nonu, struggling for form at the Blues after a heavy workload, is likely to play second fiddle to Williams, at least initially, with coach Steve Hansen hinting he will be rested.

Either way, assuming Smith, a consistent and reliable performer with the All Blacks, gets the nod at centre, he is spoilt for choice at second-five.

"I've played a lot more with Ma'a, so I've got a great relationship with him. But Sonny is in great form, he's an unbelievable talent on the field. They're both world class," said Smith.

One of the guys trying to get to grips with Smith and Co will be Ireland captain O'Driscoll, a vastly experienced player and a talisman for his side, and that just adds to the occasion for Smith.

"It's always enjoyable, regardless test matches, or franchise games, when you play centres you respect," he said. "It adds a little bit to the game. In saying that, rugby is a team game so it's never a one-on-one duel but when you know the guy opposite you is a guy as good as Brian O'Driscoll is then it carries a little bit of weight into the game."

Smith, 30, said in his estimation O'Driscoll was "as good as it gets".

"I love how long he has played, I love the fact that he's supposedly not playing his best. He's been written off but he always shows his class and I think in the position of centre if you can keep churning out as many years as he has you've got some quality about you and a bit of character and that's what he has bucket loads of."

Smith's Hurricanes teammate Victor Vito is also readying himself for what he thinks will be a direct and physical challenge from the Ireland forwards.

Vito, who plays No8 for the Hurricanes, is a chance alongside Adam Thomson to fill the blindside flanker position left vacant by Jerome Kaino.

Kaino became an enforcer for the All Blacks, particularly with his muscular defence around the fringes, and that is something Vito has been working on.

"I see myself as someone who is growing into that role," he said. "That's definitely something that you have to have when you're an All Black loose forward, the physicality is a huge side of it. You've got Kieran Read, Richie McCaw and Jerome Kaino were the three that really led the way last year and I'll be damned if I'm going to be the one that's letting them down so I've just got keep working on that and looking to hurt people, really."

The Irish forwards' directness could suit Vito if he starts in the No6 jersey.

"They are a team that is quite innovative and they come up with new things all the time but I think if it's anything like it normally would be it will a big forward pack looking to rumble at us. That's where it starts and for me that's where my role starts too, trying to stop them there."

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