Ben Smith: Springboks ‘manipulated’ the All Blacks in a part of the game that has become a lot harder than when I was playing

Legendary All Blacks full-back Ben Smith has hailed the tactical impact of Tony Brown during Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.

After going down 1-0 in the Test series opener, South Africa rallied back to win the next three matches against New Zealand, with their set-piece and superior aerial game playing a pivotal role in Rassie Erasmus side’s success.

In his heyday, Smith was one of the best full-backs in the world and was renowned for his ability under the high ball, and now works as an assistant with the Highlanders, where he has worked alongside Brown.

Tony Brown’s fingerprints

The 84-Test cap