My Take
Aaron Smith is one of those players who makes you rethink what "elite" looks like, because at 171 cm he's not exactly the prototype you'd sketch for a top-tier rugby scrum half — and yet he's arguably the best nine in the world for a good stretch of the 2010s and into the 2020s. Over 124 caps for the All Blacks, second-most capped back in New Zealand history — that's not luck, that's relentless excellence under the most demanding rugby program on the planet. His passing speed and decision-making are genuinely freakish; he finds gaps that shouldn't exist and gets the ball out in a heartbeat. The move to Toyota Verblitz in Japan feels like a natural wind-down for a legend, but even then you get the sense he's still playing at a level most nines can only aspire to. Palmerston North produced something special.
Overview
Aaron Luke Smith (born 21 November 1988) is a New Zealand professional rugby union player. A scrum half, Smith plays for the Japanese club Toyota Verblitz. Smith played for the Highlanders in Super Rugby, and for Manawatu in the ITM Cup. He has won 124 caps for New Zealand (the All Blacks) and is their 2nd most-capped back.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Aaron Smith
- Name (Japanese)
- アーロン・スミス
- Reading
- あーろん・すみす
- Born
- November 21, 1988 (age 37)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Dragon
- Origin
- Palmerston North, New Zealand
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 171 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- rugby union player
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Feilding High School
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.