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Sport Nation
Full Noise by SN
Conrad Smith: The making of a midfield master
Sport Nation • May 6th, 2026 7:16 am
Conrad Smith | Photo: Photosport
Few All Blacks centres are spoken of in the same reverential tone as Conrad Smith.
The industrious Wellingtonian rose from unassuming beginnings to form one of the most longstanding and lethal All Blacks midfield partnerships in history alongside the great Ma'a Nonu.
Smith and Nonu were synonymous with an era of NZ greatness, anchoring the backline en route to back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2011 and 2015 in arguably the greatest All Blacks team ever assembled.
The 93-Test veteran joined Sport Nation's Millsy & Guy for an all-encompassing discussion, reflecting on some of the highlights of his decorated career.
Starting from the moment he realised he had a future in the professional game, Smith dives deep into the secrets to his success on the field, what made his tandem with Nonu so special, moving forward to the state of the modern game.
Listen to the full interview below:
