Aaron Smith has become a stalwart for New Zealand after making his debut in 2012.

He continues to perform well and here are some things you should know about him.

Ten things you should know about Aaron Smith

1. Aaron Smith was born on 21 November 1988 in Palmeston, New Zealand. He stands at 5ft 7in (1.71m) and weighs 13st 1lb (83kg).

2. He competed for the Highlanders until leaving after the 2022/23 season and previously competed for Manawatu.

3. Smith won his first cap for New Zealand in 2012 against Ireland and he has won the Rugby World Cup with the team in 2015. He also represented the country in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

4. He has won over 110 caps for New Zealand, making him the most capped back for the team ever.

5. Smith won the Junior World Championship in 2008 with New Zealand’s U20 side.

6. He said after winning his final Highlanders game: “I’ve always wanted to kind of leave on my own terms, sort of still performing and not feel like you get shuffled out. I feel this year is the right time for me (to leave) and who knows what the future holds.”

7. Smith is married to long-term partner Teagan and the couple have two children together.

8. Smith has spoken about how trolls’ comments impact players. He told Stuff: “We live in this world now of opinions and comments…the couch critic now has a voice and they can hurt.”

9. He swaps shirts with a lot of opposition players he has come up against. For example, he swapped with England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet when New Zealand drew 25-25 against them in 2022.

10. Smith enjoys going fishing.

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