The All Blacks have recalled Aaron Smith to the starting side for their final Test of the year in Paris.
Ian Foster’s men will be taking on France on Sunday morning, with Smith one of seven changes to the side.
He hasn’t played since taking the field at Eden Park against the Wallabies in August and joined the tour last week as injury cover after the birth of his second son.
Former All Blacks halfback Justin Marshall believes Smith was never going to travel to Europe if he wasn't going to play.
“I don’t know whether or not they had any other choice,” Marshall told SENZ’s Morning with Ian Smith about selecting Smith.
“I think once they committed to calling for Aaron Smith to go on that tour, I don’t think he was ever going to go all that way for ‘injury cover’, I think he was always going to play this Test match, and possibly they looked at him being on the bench for the Irish one.
“It would make no sense given that they had the ability to rest him, refreshen him, he plays good minutes, more minutes than anybody, he’s played a lot of rugby recently, it makes no sense to take him all the way there if he wasn’t going to be playing this game.
“So, I think it’s more they had to do it than anything else.”
The All Blacks lost to Ireland in Dublin last week and will be keen to end their tour on a high against the French.
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