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Contributors

Ben Smith

A former financial analyst & auditor in retail banking, Ben is a columnist at RugbyPass specialising in opinion-based analysis, breaking down rugby as he sees it, to uncover what professional teams are trying to do around the world.

Opinion

Winners and losers of the first All Blacks squad of the year

Scott Robertson's first All Blacks squad of the year showed form is valuable with five uncapped players named in the July squad.

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
22 Jun 2025, 20:59
Opinion

Ian Foster's defiant approach with the All Blacks

Ex-All Black head coach Ian Foster has reflected on his turbulent time as All Blacks head coach in an open and honest podcast on B…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
17 Jun 2025, 19:38

Scott Robertson opens up on drama surrounding Bongi Mbonambi's knock-on try

All Blacks head coach Scott Roberston has revealed how the side tried to intervene to get Springboks' hooker Bongi Mbonambi's cont…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
15 Jun 2025, 21:44

Downcast Brumbies coach Larkham's final warning for the Chiefs

Frustrated ACT Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham will go back to the drawing board after his team fell short in their Super Rugby Pac…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
15 Jun 2025, 15:39
Opinion

Super Rugby semi takes: Chiefs' wings are ABs, Hoskins horror show

The Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals saw the Crusaders book another home final with a 21-14 win over the Blues, while the Chiefs bo…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
14 Jun 2025, 22:45
Opinion

Super Rugby Pacific's greatest season stained by one playoff game

Super Rugby Pacific has had a resurgent 2025 season with one of the greatest rugby seasons seen, perhaps the greatest regular seas…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
09 Jun 2025, 21:22

Lions win the race for South Africa's schoolboy prodigy

The Lions have reportedly won the signature of Grey College schoolboy prodigy Ethan Adams, a viral sensation at age grade level.

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
28 May 2025, 15:13

All Black loose forward returns for Crusaders for crunch clash

All Black loose forward Ethan Blackadder returns for the Crusaders to notch his 50th game in Canberra against the Brumbies. 

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
27 May 2025, 21:47

The form All Blacks backline based only on Super Rugby Pacific

So the All Blacks backline that we will see in 2025 will be vastly different from what is the form Super Rugby Pacific backline. H…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
27 May 2025, 16:29
Opinion

The biggest threat to the Chiefs is not the Crusaders

After being buttered up by the Blues, it would be the perfect time for the Hurricanes to come in the next week with the knock out …

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
25 May 2025, 21:30
Opinion

Why the All Blacks don't need to bother with a bomb squad

The All Blacks are one of the few top international teams to resist moving to a 6-2 or 7-1 bench arrangement, instead preferring t…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
21 May 2025, 17:50
Opinion

What went wrong with the Highlanders this season

Year two of the Highlanders under returning coach Jamie Joseph has presented challenges as the franchise sits in last place curren…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
19 May 2025, 20:23
Opinion

Moana Pasifika took the shackles off Ardie Savea and he won MVP

Moana Pasifika loose forward Ardie Savea has been named the inaugural MVP of Super Rugby Pacific in his first season with the club…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
18 May 2025, 0:47
Opinion

The truth behind NZR's finances

The number one headline generated by NZR's latest annual results was the -$19.5 million net income loss, but the truth of the matt…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
17 May 2025, 16:36

All Black first five returns for Hurricanes to face Highlanders

All Black first five-eighth Brett Cameron will make his return from injury after a seven month long stint on the sidelines when th…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
13 May 2025, 21:00
Opinion

Chiefs' secret weapon again on show in regular season sweep of Crusaders

When the Chiefs opened the season with back-to-back wins over the Blues and Crusaders in the first two rounds, they were instantly…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
10 May 2025, 20:20

Jordie Barrett produces man-of-the-match showing after benching drama

All Black midfielder Jordie Barrett has produced a man-of-the-match showing for Leinster in their thumping of Zebre by 76-5 in the…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
10 May 2025, 16:25
Opinion

USA team in Super Rugby Pacific is not the answer right now, but this is

The answer for Super Rugby Pacific is not to expand the number of teams, it's to take the existing teams into new markets and work…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
07 May 2025, 18:02

Blues make two changes for Drua challenge in Fiji

Having beaten the Western Force at Eden Park last weekend, the Blues are well and truly back into playoff contention in 7th place …

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
06 May 2025, 21:54
Analysis

What went wrong for the Blues after their championship breakthrough

The encore for the Blues breakthrough championship season in 2024 has not been pretty, slumping as low as 9th over the first half …

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
06 May 2025, 13:16