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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.

Analysis: How Leinster exploited Wasps' forwards on James Lowe’s breakaway set-piece try

Leinster are the current masters of line running and deception, continually coming up with new concepts and finding ways to create…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
14 Oct 2018, 23:30

Leinster’s emphatic win fires a warning shot to Europe but they left clues on how to beat them

Don’t expect Leinster to give you the ball. You will have to take it from them, which most sides can’t do. This is officially …

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
14 Oct 2018, 0:56

Storied All Blacks 7 jersey awaits a transformed Ardie Savea

This is a transformed Savea, coming through the fire as a rebuilt player. The visual comparison to 2016 is as clear as night and d…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
09 Oct 2018, 0:11

Analysis: What Harlequins need to do to maximise their most valuable asset, Marcus Smith

If they continue down this same way, they will fail to see how good things could be. If they expand his role and put the pieces in…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
08 Oct 2018, 4:21

How the Springboks blew a 17-point lead

The All Blacks had no right to win the match based on the first sixty minutes, but did, while the Springboks will have to learn th…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
06 Oct 2018, 21:17

Analysis: The Wallabies have reached the peak of delusion

Cheika talks of how his team plays attacking rugby and how they throw the ball around. It’s disorganised rugby. It’s dumb rugb…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
03 Oct 2018, 3:24

Analysis: Can Joey Carbery continue his magic against Leinster?

There is no denying the 22-year-old outhalf has the ability to be a triple threat 10. We are already seeing that come into fruitio…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
02 Oct 2018, 1:31

Analysis: How the All Blacks have changed since the 2015 World Cup

In 2015 the All Blacks were still dining off turnovers, scoring long-range dazzling tries on counter-attack and showing off world-…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
30 Sep 2018, 2:51

The future of Argentina - Superpower or forever an Enigma?

An Argentina vs. All Blacks game now offers a far more entertaining spectacle now than a Bledisloe Cup match, but can’t yet offe…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
25 Sep 2018, 22:53

Analysis: The 'zero jump thirty' lineout taking over the Premiership

There has been one ‘trick’ play utilised by no less than three teams so far this season in the Premiership that shows that spe…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
25 Sep 2018, 18:50

Analysis: How Tasman are transforming Will Jordan into the next great All Black fullback

Jordan is a fullback with the complete range of skills, scorching speed, and best of all - has prescience when it comes to finding…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
24 Sep 2018, 3:29

In defence of Beauden Barrett

However, despite the missed conversions, Barrett’s performance against the Springboks was arguably his best of the year in the b…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
19 Sep 2018, 23:58

Analysis: How Faf de Klerk's NFL-style defence is causing headaches

Whilst Aaron Smith and Conor Murray are generally considered the world's best two halfbacks, none of them have this kind of autono…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
19 Sep 2018, 0:07

The stunning transformation of George Ford

You can’t go from being that bad to this good overnight. There is only one explanation for this, and it is a sad indictment on O…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
18 Sep 2018, 18:59

Analysis: Dissecting the All Blacks game plan – their Springboks blueprint was on the money

With 75 percent possession and 79 percent territory the All Blacks could not come away with a win. However, with such a huge amoun…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
18 Sep 2018, 0:14

Springboks-All Blacks was an imperfect cliffhanger with 'what-ifs' from both sides

The Springboks’ stunning 36-34 win over the All Blacks in Wellington was an instant classic. A classic that was, despite excelle…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
15 Sep 2018, 23:57

Remembering the 2009 Springboks – the last great rival of the All Blacks

That’s what makes the 2009 Springboks special - no side has done or since come close to doing, what they did.

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
12 Sep 2018, 1:16

Analysis: Santiago Cordero could be the Premiership’s most exciting player this season

The astute pairing of Cordero with the team that will use him the most is already causing havoc in the new season.

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
11 Sep 2018, 0:01

Analysis: Why aren’t the All Blacks scoring from set-piece attack anymore?

Despite tries coming by the bucketload, one area of the All Blacks game that hasn’t been firing is the typically productive set-…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
10 Sep 2018, 3:11

Analysis: The latest craze in 2018 pro rugby - the 'Mousetrap' switch play

2018 has seen an increase in the number of teams running variations of switch plays – the Highlanders, the Sharks, the Reds in S…

Ben Smith
Ben Smith
04 Sep 2018, 2:20
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