Smith: Chiefs are just scratching surface
DAVID LONG
1 of 11 CHRIS HILLOCK/Fairfax NZ
Chiefs perform a haka after beating the Sharks in the Super Rugby final.
Speaking ahead of last night's final against the Sharks, Smith says he doesn't feel this will be a flash in the pan campaign for the Hamilton-based franchise but the start of something special. Chiefs assistant coach Wayne Smith believes the franchise has the potential to be a major force in Super Rugby for years, not just one season.
"I think we're just scratching the surface," Smith told Sunday News.
"It's not just within the team, but the wider Chiefs franchise that we can really improve and there is no reason we can't become world class.
"From my experience, if you want to set up a successful number of years, then that's what you've got to do. You've got to be bloody good right across the board, not just on the field."
Smith coached the Crusaders from 1997 to 1999, taking them from a last-placed team to the first two of their Super Rugby titles.
After starting the Crusaders dynasty of Super Rugby, Smith moved on to the All Blacks and gave Robbie Deans the chance to continue the success. While he says things are heading in the right direction with the Chiefs, it's too soon to call this the beginning of a new dynasty.
"Not yet, I don't think so," he said.
"The team has played bloody well and with real spirit and character, but there is a lot of water to go under this bridge yet.
"As soon as you start thinking of dynasties and things like that, that's when you topple over.
"Just look at the Reds, they were talking about that last year and they tipped over this year.
"I'd like to see us have an attitude of just trying to get better all of the time and really working working hard at it, not resting on our laurels, but looking at every single nook and cranny that we can improve.
"Whether that's in the marketing, the promotions, the way we connect with the community, on the training field or with our analysis, whatever, we've got to really push forward and make sure we're improving in every single area."
While the playing part of the Super Rugby season has now come to an end, the work doesn't stop for Smith and the other Chiefs coaches and they intend to immediately start looking to the 2013 season.
"The management team are going to work through all of August," Smith said.
"It's a really important time period for us, while it's fresh in our minds to look at what went well, what we need to improve and what innovations we can bring in, as well as who's going to do that and what it's going to cost. So we need to spend a fair bit of time doing that."
After that, Smith, who joined up with the Chiefs very soon after helping the All Blacks win the World Cup, says there is more work to do.
"We've got the ITM Cup happening which is important for us," he said.
"I'm pretty interested in the way Bay of Plenty, Counties Manukau and Waikato go, and you've also got King Country and Thames Valley, which are areas which will be interesting because we got some gems in those areas last year.
"That will be an important period for us, not just in assessing players, but also helping the coaches and making sure we create strong relationships with them.
"Also, it's a learning period for us, if you share an idea with someone you get plenty back.
"So I'll be doing that and looking at what I can pick up from the coaches in the region and seeing how that can help our campaign."
After that Smith says he will be able to finally put his feet up after 22 months of continual work.
"I will be taking a break," he smiled.
"I had very little time off after the World Cup, but I'll definitely be getting a break at some point, probably after the ITM Cup and before we kick off again in December."
What has been interesting to note this season at the Chiefs has been the continual development of first-five Aaron Cruden, who has gone from an exciting player with plenty of potential to a truly world class No 10.
Smith has had a big impact in Cruden's career and says he's pleased to see the Manawatu star continue to improve.
"I have seen steady growth from Aaron since the first time we took him into the All Blacks, through to where we took him into the World Cup campaign last year.
"If you look at the semifinal against Australia, he had a fantastic game with Piri Weepu and we've seen another improvement this year.
"I think it showed that there was a maturing process, creating relationships within the team. He is one of our leaders, he is a strong leader. He is bright, he's got a lot of nous about him, so as you bed yourself down and start directing people on and off the field, you improve as a five-eighth and we've seen that this year.
"The future is good for him because he's not one to sit on his laurels, he works hard."
