Aaron Smith hails Dave Rennie's 'straight and direct' style as All Blacks rebuild begins

Aaron Smith has offered a vivid portrait of Dave Rennie’s coaching philosophy, describing the newly appointed All Blacks head coach as a uniquely transparent communicator who demands full commitment from his players — no half-measures allowed.

Speaking in an interview on Sport Nation, the 37-year-old halfback drew on nearly two decades of experience with and against Rennie, dating back to a New Zealand U20 campaign in 2008 that yielded a world title after conceding just one try across five games.

“With Rens, it’s a really attacking mindset style of footy,” Smith said. “He promotes players to express themselves, see space and push the boundaries; wherever you are, you can attack if the option’s on, but don’t half-pie it. That was always one thing I loved about him: if you’re going to go, go. Really commit.”

Smith, who earned the last of his 125 All Blacks caps in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final, has spent the past three seasons at Toyota Verblitz in Japan’s Rugby League One, playing under former All Blacks coaches Steve Hansen and Ian Foster. That stint has brought him face-to-face with Rennie’s Kobelco Kobe Steelers on multiple occasions, with Smith’s side falling short against the eventual champions twice in the most recent season.

What struck Smith most about Rennie was not just his attacking instincts but his ability to manage individuals with clarity and care — something Smith says he only fully appreciated with maturity.

“He’s a stern coach, he’s a great motivator. He had a way of talking to each player on a level that I found unique,” Smith explained. “He’ll give you a stern word, but then he was pretty good at giving you a rub on the back. He just makes you feel really good about your game, he’s really clear with feedback — I didn’t notice that until I was a bit older, how clear where I stood in the team was because he was just so open and transparent about my game and where I was at.”

That directness, Smith argues, is a rare quality in elite coaching. “As a player, that’s always good, to have no fuzzies, just straight and direct around what he likes and what he doesn’t like. It was easy to tweak.”

Rennie’s track record supports Smith’s assessment. After guiding New Zealand U20 to a world title, he moved on to the Chiefs, where he delivered back-to-back Super Rugby championships before departing for Glasgow Warriors in 2017. He later coached the Wallabies before taking charge of Kobe Steelers, where his side claimed the JRLO title.

Smith, who describes the Japanese league as reminiscent of the Super 14 era in its diversity of playing styles, believes Rennie’s coaching DNA has remained consistent throughout — and that the modern All Blacks, navigating a more defensive and tactical game than the one Smith grew up in, are in capable hands.