Legendary All Blacks full-back Ben Smith has weighed in on World Rugby\u2019s law tweak that removed escorts.<\/p>\n
During his illustrious career, which included a Rugby World Cup title and over 80 Test caps for New Zealand, Smith was renowned for his brilliance under the high ball.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a skillset that he hopes to pass on to the next generation through his work with Super Rugby Pacific club, the Highlanders<\/a>.<\/p>\n A player\u2019s ability under the high ball is particularly important since World Rugby<\/a> outlawed escorts, which made it easier for a receiving catcher to secure possession and has created more of a contest for the ball.<\/p>\n Ben Smith on the removal of the escorts<\/p>\n The tweak has proved to be quite polarising, with Springboks coaches coming in strong support of the change<\/a> with regard to player safety and the impact it has had on the flow of the game.<\/p>\n However, it hasn\u2019t been welcomed as positively in the north, with Tadhg Beirne criticising the law change<\/a>, echoing the sentiments of Munster assistant coach Mike Prendergast.<\/p>\n Speaking ahead of the Highlanders\u2019 pre-season hit-out against the Crusaders, Smith agrees with the Bok coaches.<\/p>\n \u201cI really like that part of the game that they\u2019ve opened that up,\u201d the 39-year-old said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve made that challenge in the air a 50\/50 around being able to compete and go after that.\u201d<\/p>\n Springboks coaches slam \u2018bikini stat\u2019 that Jaco Peyper claims refs try to \u2018manipulate\u2019 in a disservice to the game<\/a><\/p>\n The Highlanders legend, turned assistant coach, likens it to a set-piece for the backline players and says that it has been a real focus point for the team in pre-season.<\/p>\n The All Blacks<\/a> struggled to adapt to the law change last year, and Smith aims to make sure the Super Rugby doesn\u2019t fall victim to the tweak but instead use it as a weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose forwards do a lot of scrummaging and that\u2019s their set-piece and now for the backs, I suppose around the high ball and getting after that is sort of our set-piece around going after the high ball and if you can do that really well, then I reckon it sets up your game to be able to attack off the back of it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a big part of the pre-season around really getting confident in the air, around what we want to go after.\u201d<\/p>\n Rassie Erasmus\u2019 blunt admission on Scott Robertson\u2019s axing and provides \u2018high expectations\u2019 theory on his exit<\/a><\/p>\n Highlanders\u2019 wingers backed to shine<\/p>\n He also believes that it is a trained skill that players can learn to improve but says that it requires live, in-game reps and bravery.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a trained skill, and it\u2019s a hard one because you want to make sure that you\u2019re getting quite a few reps in. Especially live reps, where it\u2019s a lot different. You\u2019ve actually got to fully commit to those high balls,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s been a bit of a balance over the last few weeks around how much we actually go up in the air, but going forward, it\u2019s a trained skill that we\u2019re going to have to be really good at.\u201d<\/p>\n