Ireland 'bring out the best of us' - Aaron Smith

Aaron Smith says he's hoping he can find a "chink" in the armour of his opposite number Jamison Gibson-Park, when New Zealand and Ireland face off in their deciding third Test tomorrow (8.05am).

The 104-cap All Black legend gave a masterclass in scrum-half play during their first Test win against Ireland 13 days ago, before Gibson-Park excelled for Ireland last week in Duneden to level the series up at 1-1.

"It's great, I love competing against great half-backs," said Smith, when asked about his individual battle with his fellow scrum-half.

"It's not really a position where you get a good head-to-head, it's more a position where you get your team around the park and he's taken his game to another level.

"He plays at speed, and he's fit and fast and is a great competitor. I've really been enjoying it."

Smith and Gibson-Park swapped shirts after last week's Test, with the 33-year-old adding that it was extra-special to be able to do so with a native New Zealander.

"The jersey thing is a respect thing, it's a tradition of rugby.

"I'm very blessed to have played a lot of Tests, and I want to look back at the jerseys of those I played against and enjoyed those. I've got a couple of Conor's [Murray} jerseys, to have Jam's one with the Kiwi aspect - we're both from the east coast of New Zealand, those kind of things are just little things that are bigger than rugby

"He's a Kiwi boy but we're both playing on the biggest arena in rugby, and it's awesome. Definitely excited if we get the chance to go at it again, I'll be walking towards it."

While the Highlanders man has played in three of New Zealand's four previous defeats to Ireland, he does have fond memories against this week's opposition on Ireland's last tour in 2012.

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