Aaron Smith sees Joseph Manu as a future All Black

World Cup-winning scrum-half Aaron Smith believes that his new Toyota Verblitz teammate Joseph Manu is an All Black in the making.

Legendary All Black Smith, 36, who is in his second season in Japan with Steve Hansen and Ian Foster’s Toyota, was joined in Aichi in the summer by rugby league convert Joseph Manu.  

Speaking during a Q&A session on X, the former Highlanders star described Manu as a “great player” with a “bright future” and that he “hopes to see him in black too”.

Ex-Sydney Roosters fan favourite Manu marked his League One bow with a try in Toyota’s nail-biting loss to Bernard Foley’s Kubota Spears and earned the ‘Most Impressive Player’ prize despite mostly being a peripheral figure.  

The two-time NRL premiership winner came off the bench in the surprise round two loss to Pablo Matera’s Honda Heat before being restored to the first XV for the dramatic 30-30 draw with Cheslin Kolbe’s Suntory Sungoliath last Saturday.

Manu, 28, who was been playing at outside-centre, has played 140 minutes across Toyota’s first three games.

Hansen’s winless side hosts the improving RICOH Black Rams Tokyo on Saturday as Smith locks horns against his long-time rival and international colleague TJ Perenara.  

Smith also revealed that while his All Blacks career is behind him, he still hopes to finish his career by playing back in his homeland.  

“I do want to finish in New Zealand, I’m finished with test rugby,” said the 2015 World Cup winner.

When quizzed about his thoughts on the All Blacks’ selection policy of not picking overseas players, the stalwart said that New Zealand should keep their top players in the country.

“I played under that rule my whole All Blacks career, I know if I was good enough, I wouldn’t say no but my days done. Keep our top All Blacks in New Zealand.”

The Palmerston North native also named his favourite fly-halves to play with.

“Dan Carter and Beauden Barrett were my favourites.”

Smith was also asked about whether he’d be open to playing in France’s Top 14.

“I’m too old now for that high speed, high skill game but you never know.” 

Credit-RugbyJP