NZ Rugby World

THE LAST AIRBENDER

There’s a good chance Ben Smith is going to make two significant marks in history.

The first, and it is almost guaranteed, is that he will become the oldest outside back ever to play for the All Blacks. He turned 32 a week before the first test against France in June, which is positively ancient in New Zealand where so many outside backs have failed to hold their test place beyond their mid-20s.

It’s rare indeed for any outside back to have hit their 30s and still be in the All Blacks frame.

The second big landmark, and this is only a maybe and even then that might be overly optimistic, is that Smith could become the All Blacks highest try scorer in history.

It is a long shot. Coming into the Rugby Championship he was sitting on 32 tries, 17 short of Doug Howlett’s remarkable record of 49.

But time is on Smith’s side. He’s got the remainder of this year and all of next assuming he stays injury free. That’s a total of, maybe, 23 tests before his contract expires.

Maybe because it will

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