The All Blacks great was nicely positioned to comment on the respective merits of both Dave Rennie and Jamie Joseph when they jostled for the chance to replace the sacked Scott Robertson.
He obviously has a close link with Joseph after their years of success at the Highlanders, while he got to know Rennie as a youngster with the New Zealand under-20 team and Manawatu and has since encountered the new All Blacks coach in Japan, where Rennie guides the Kobe Steelers.
‘‘I feel for Jamie, but it’s great to see he’s still in New Zealand, you know,’’ Smith told the Otago Daily Times from Japan.
‘‘He’s missed it this time but you never know what the future holds. As we’ve seen with Razor, things can change very quickly.
‘‘Jake is such a great coach, but I think we were pretty spoilt to have two great coaches go for the head coaching job.’’
Smith said Rennie was a ‘‘great dude’’ who had already put together a talented coaching staff.
The new coach would be clear about how he wanted the All Blacks to play.
‘‘One thing I like about Rens is he’ll play a New Zealand style of rugby — ruck and run, let’s go, hold the ball.
‘‘You see it when you play the Kobe team, and you saw it when he won titles with the Chiefs and when I played under him in Manawatu.
‘‘He wants you to express yourself, he wants you to hold the ball and he wants you to attack.
‘‘Test rugby is really hard, but the really good teams have the ability to hold the ball and use the ball to pressure teams, not just kick, and Rens will give that.’’
Smith felt for Robertson and said there was immense pressure on whoever coached the All Blacks.
After 125 tests as a player, it took him a moment or two to adjust to being a former All Black, Smith said.
‘‘The first team naming I saw was weird because I’d been blessed in my time to be selected and then my name wasn’t there.
‘‘Another moment was watching the first anthem and the haka, but after that I’ve really enjoyed it.
‘‘It was so cool to go to a test just as a fan, because I’d never seen one as a kid. I went to a test at Eden Park and was like, wow, this is what it’s about, man.’’
Smith has no regrets when he reflects on an All Blacks career that ended with a one-point loss to the Springboks in the 2023 World Cup final.
‘‘I left on my terms and I chose my ending and I went out starting in the World Cup final, so I have no qualms.
‘‘It could have been really great, but it was still awesome, and I’m very grateful for my time in the All Blacks.
‘‘I’m a fan now and I just want the All Blacks to do well, you know. Hopefully they can get into the Springboks this year and then go to Australia and do a job.’’
Smith will again have a chance to see the new All Blacks coach this weekend.
Rennie’s Kobe team, second in Japan Rugby League One, are playing Smith’s seventh-placed Toyota Verblitz.
