France Conrad Smith's kind of test

Conrad Smith says he's no quick-fix for the struggling All Blacks backline but he's thrilled to get the chance to showcase his skills against France, a country whose rugby he has long admired.

The classy centre returns from a hamstring injury to play in the second test in Wellington on Saturday night. He stresses it will take a collective effort from the All Blacks rather than any individual genius to right the wrongs of Dunedin's 22-27 loss.

"I just have to go about doing my job. I'm a pretty enthusiastic sort of guy. I know I will bring a lot of energy. It's just the way I play and it's the way I have to play to make up for some limitations in my game," said Smith, underselling his wide range of skills and his solid combination with Ma'a Nonu that should steady the All Blacks midfield.

"I will just do my thing. But as we have talked about all week the team have to step up another level and bring an energy that we probably didn't have last Saturday night.

It's going to be a team effort. That's the way it is in rugby, that's the nature of the game and hopefully I can play my part in that."

Smith said it wasn't pleasant watching at Carisbook last Saturday night. But he has been quick to realise what is required this weekend to help the All Blacks avoid a rare series loss at home.

"We just struggled to get going. They were really good at putting pressure on us, they started strong and that always helps. They played the game they wanted to and we struggled to get any ascendancy. That's tough and we felt that right across the field.

"We have to have ascendancy at the set piece and then you get front foot ball and from there things can look pretty easy. If you get knocked over at the advantage line straight away, then everything can look pretty hard.

"If you do the basics well, that's always a big part of your attack. Rugby has a lot of complexities but it's a pretty simple game too and every team is trying to do the same thing. It's just a matter of executing it."

Having the chance to make amends so quickly was something that was motivating the All Blacks. He had detected increased urgency in the environment this week.

"You know how you can turn it around," he said of the performance and the result. "Seven days later you have the chance to make up for it, you don't dwell on it too long. It's only been four days although it's probably been a long four days for us. But now we can put our minds to another game and put some of those things right."

Smith said he was confident his hamstring would stand the pressure of this test and the injury was getting better with each day. He picked it up in the All Blacks camp in Auckland two weeks ago and felt he had made rapid progress with his recovery, certainly good enough to be playing this weekend.

"It's been nice running around with the team again. I have a bit of a way to go yet, another couple of days. But hopefully it won't be on my mind on Saturday night. It has got through training and I'm running around alright. It's about having the confidence to stride out again and that's coming."

The 27-year-old Smith will be playing his 25th test on Saturday in an international career that started in 2004. It will be only his third test on his home ground in Wellington and just his third against France after being part of big wins in Paris (45-6 in 2004) and Lyon (47-3 in 2006).

He expects a much tougher assignment this weekend and is wary of his opponent Maxime Mermos, the young centre from Dan Carter's Perpignan club. He has the feeling that Mermos has the ability to inject the flair that France are so famous for and which Smith has long admired.

"He's pretty good. I've looked at him a little bit. He's pretty quick and the French backs always have good skills," Smith said of his homework on Mermos.

"Personally I love the way they play. Through the years when I was a youngster I loved the way the French played the game, their backs in particular. Outside of the All Blacks they were the team I loved watching. He fits right into that mould," said Smith, nominating French greats Philippe Sella and Serge Blanco as two of his favourites from the past.

- © Fairfax NZ News