Conrad Smith on the All Blacks' Rugby World Cup Defence

You don't have to be the biggest to be rugby's best. Japan demonstrated that in spectacular fashion on Saturday night, when modest men like halfback Fumiaki Tanaka destroyed the Springboks' Afrikaner rhinos and giraffes in Brighton.

Only 81-kgs when he first became an All Black on their 2004 Northern Tour, Conrad Smith has owned the number 13 black jersey – run by big, line-crushing Polynesians since Frank Bunce in the early nineties – from 2008. It was the magnificent Tana Umaga who taught Smith he could be a different type of centre, the now 95-kg Smith recalls. "It was really special learning to play alongside Tana. He taught me I can do things for a team the 100-kg [+] guys can't."

While Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, and Ma'a Nonu get the most media attention, midfield rock Smith is similarly crucial for the All Blacks retaking the Rugby World Cup. Though Graham Henry has said he "deserved a smack" for his yellow card against the Pumas at Wembley, Smith put in a really good game. As usual, he had a big work rate, defending his heart out against the Pumas' splendiferous attacks; the likes of Juan Martin Hernandez in champion form. With 51 metres, Smith was fourth on ground carried; one of his trademark delightful, slippery runs – the reason they call him Snakey – was almost a try.

Smith tells VICE Sports that Cup title contenders include both Ireland and England, and says the All Blacks learnt from their rare 2012 loss to England at Twickenham. "The English have always got that massive belief – they've knocked off the All Blacks enough in their history to always give themselves a genuine chance against us. They're playing the footy to back that up now. They're going to be a real threat."

Outside centre Jonathan Joseph – one of England's better performers in their scrappy win over Fiji at Twickenham on Friday – has impressed Smith, particularly the 24-year-old's Six Nations form. "It's always hard [to know] until you actually play them. But he's hard to miss. His impact was awesome for the English [during the Six Nations]. They played some good rugby and he was often pretty heavily involved in the good things they were doing."

Presuming the Springboks recover from their incredible defeat by Japan, fresh Springbok centre Jesse Kriel, who scored tries against both the All Blacks and Wallabies this year – with dazzling lines and acceleration – is another exciting challenge. "Guys start to figure them out and learn what they do well and come up with plans to stop that… The true test of new centres is to see how they'll go in the next few years of competing for a spot against their own countrymen."

Smith certainly knows about this: he's kept immensely talented men like Richard Kahui, Rene Ranger, Malakai Fekitoa and Sonny Bill Williams on the pine for over seven years.

Wayne Smith, the McCaw of All Blacks' defence and counter-attack coaches, says:

"Conrad is singularly intelligent, one of the great All Blacks, and essential to the World Cup defence." Wayne adds Conrad has "massive speed endurance" and "the biggest heart".

McCaw also highlights Conrad's perseverance and intelligence. "He's had a couple of nasty injuries and been determined to get back on the field.

"Conrad's got a great understanding of what teams are trying to do; the psychological, mental side that goes with the game. He's the first one to have an understanding of what's required."

Between Tana Umaga's retirement in 2005, and 2008, centre was too often a problematic position for the All Blacks. In New Zealand's 2003 and 2007 World Cup knockout losses it was a key weakness, with gifted men playing out of position. John Mitchell bizarrely didn't select Tana Umaga in 2003 — scurrilous gossip swirled around Mitchell's choice — and Wallaby Stirling Mortlock ran amok through the midfield.

All Blacks great Mils Muliaina, a fullback, wasn't comfortable in the middle for 2007's shock loss to the French in Cardiff. Players like Muliaina were so distraught after the game that Smith's longtime co-standards-setter Keven Mealamu has said he would probably be haunted by the sight for the rest of his life.

You have to be philosophical and good-humoured to "survive" the high expectations on the All Blacks, Smith confides. New Zealanders expect not only that you win, but that you win well. "That's tough," Smith emphasises the word viscerally. "You learn early on that you need a way to take your mind off the game."

He unwinds by relaxing with his wife and one-year-old boy, cooking seafood, and playing social sports like backyard cricket. He relishes watching the Black Caps, he told me during the Cricket World Cup: "It's great. I actually love it when other sports take the spotlight, [it's a] healthy distraction from New Zealand's rugby obsession."

Smith's Hurricanes dominated this year's Super Rugby competition, winning the minor premiership with style and grit, before a close loss to the Highlanders in the cracker of a home final. Fresh blood on his clash-crooked nose, the skipper was philosophical straight after the game: "I've had my crack. If this is my biggest disappointment in life then I think I'll be pretty happy when I'm an old man."

No matter how things go with the French in October, Smith has inked a healthy two-year deal with Gallic club Pau for next season. It's not all about the money, he insists, animated. At 33, Smith is looking forward to relaxed family time; that laidback, foodie French lifestyle. He's also keen on a break from the relentless, quasi-religious scrutiny of weekly Super Rugby. "A lot of players go overseas and they absolutely love it. They enjoy their rugby, and they enjoy walking off the field. If they lost they're not hearing about it for the next three or four days. They turn on the TV, and there are other sports on."

This honours-qualified lawyer — who notably argued legalese with criminal barrister/referee Wayne Barnes on-field against the Pumas — is too passionate about New Zealand rugby to not keep a hand in, however. Chief in the Players' Association's Collective Contract and further negotiations, Smith will remain involved in the Association's work from France. He is thrilled with rugby's global growth, but determined that the increased capital in-flows don't result in FIFA-esque corruption.

But before all this, there's that World Cup to retain. And as he showed at Wembley yesterday — before a lively, world-record crowd of 89,019 — Conrad Smith will be doing everything he can to give it a good crack. Wayne Smith says Conrad is obsessively competitive. "He's probably the most competitive player I've ever coached, Alex. He just hates losing."

@alexanderbisley