Highlanders give Aaron Smith frantic fairytale

• Published date: 29 May 2023
• Author: RUGBY Christopher Reive
• Publication title: Bay of Plenty Times

For more than a decade, the lively halfback has been a fixture in the Highlanders’ Super Rugby squad, bringing up his 184th appearance for the club in their 35-30 win over the Reds in Dunedin on Friday night

The 34-year-old has been involved in plenty of incarnations of the Highlanders squad, with the side through peaks and troughs, and playing a leading role in the championship-winning campaign in 2015. Only long-serving Crusaders prop Wyatt Crockett made more appearances in the competition; his 203 for the Crusaders from 2006-18 will be a tough mark to match.

But for Smith, Friday night’s win over the Reds was emotional. Regardless of what happens in next weekend’s final round of the regular season, Smith has played his last game at Forsyth Barr Stadium in a Highlanders jersey. All going well it won’t be the final time he plays in Dunedin, though, with the All Blacks scheduled to host the Wallabies there in August.

In summing up what the moment meant to him, Smith told Sky Sport how much he had enjoyed those 80 minutes every week in which he got to express himself on the paddock.

“I’ve got a huge passion for the game and this is the best bit – the two hours on Friday or Saturday night where you get to express yourself. I put a lot of work into my game and my preparation, and this is where I can just let it go,” Smith said.

“I love nothing more than this. I always hate when the game ends, I always hate when I get subbed, and I’ve always wanted to leave on my own terms – still performing. I didn’t want to have that feeling of when you get shuffled out. I feel like this year’s the right time for me. Who knows what the future holds? All I wanted was that win, and we got it.”

Needing other results to go their way if they are to secure a playoff spot, Smith’s frantic fairytale send-off – sealed by a last-minute try through his heir apparent Folau Fakatava to snatch the win – was capped off by the Melbourne Rebels doing a number on the Western Force...