Aaron Smith set to make his 100th Super Rugby appearances

March 29, 2017
1465
Highlanders Rugby

Friday night’s match against the Rebels will mark halfback Aaron Smith’s 100^th Super Rugby game and 100^thgame for the Highlanders. Smith debuted in 2011 against the Bulls in Pretoria and has been a regular selection ever since. Renowned as one of the best passing halfbacks in the game he debuted for the All Blacks in 2012 and has been capped 62 times.He becomes the fifth player behind Anton Oliver (127), Jimmy Cowan (108), Chris King (106) and Ben Smith (123) to play 100 games for the Pulse Energy Highlanders.

Head Coach, Tony Brown, was full of praise for his halfback, “Aaron has been the best 9 in the world for some time now and is such an important part of our game. It’s fantastic that he gets to clock up a 100 games for the club, he joins a small group of amazing rugby players and he deserves his place in that company, he’s earned his selection in every one of those 100 games through hard work and consistency of performance.”

Smith will be presented with a pounamu mere – the New Zealand Rugby gift for centurions – on Friday night following the conclusion of the game.

Smith will partner with Marty Banks in the halves as Fletcher Smith moves to the bench and Tevita Li returns to the wing to replace a well performed Sio Tomkinson. The forwards have Aki Seiuli, Joe Wheeler and Gareth Evans moving from last week’s bench to the starting team and in the reserves, Elliot Dixon and Daniel Lienert-Brown, get a break from the starting lineup this week. Tupou Sopoaga will make his debut appearance if required.

Highlanders v Rebels