Aaron Smith is the world’s best scrumhalf right now, and I don’t think too many would argue otherwise.

It helps when you’re surrounded by such a class outfit, but his zippy service and superb decision-making from behind the ruck have made him a world star.

Off the field it seems that decision-making prowess eludes him, though, because he was yesterday suspended for some rather illicit activity.

Here’s Stuff with a full eye-witness account from a woman who saw this one play out. Quite the read:

The woman, her husband, and children, were at Christchurch [Airport] on September 18, the day following the All Blacks test against the Springboks.

It was about 2pm and they were upstairs in the foodcourt area. The whole All Blacks team was there, dressed in their travel uniform, including Smith.

The couple needed to take their young son, who was in a pram, to the toilet. They made their way down the corridor to the disabled cubicle – a single cubicle that comes off the corridor by the other bathrooms – which also doubles as a family bathroom.

They were waiting outside the unisex cubicle when a young woman walked towards the bathroom.They stood aside to let her use the bathroom first – they thought they would take a little while because of the pram.

The husband said he initially noticed her because of her attractive appearance.

“The rest of the team were literally sitting right outside the shop eating sandwiches.

“The girl was, to be frank, quite attractive early 20s, and well dressed which, in all honesty, is what caught my attention first before I saw Smith follow her,” he said.

Moments later Smith walked down the hallway and entered the same cubicle, something the female witness said she found “quite strange”.

The husband pulled out his phone and started recording from outside the cubicle.

Smith and the woman were in the bathroom for about 10 minutes and “rhythmic tapping noises” could be heard…

The All Black left the cubicle first, straightening up his shirt and rubbing his face. The woman emerged about 30 seconds later.

The rugby star then returned to his teammates like nothing had happened and proceeded to greet fans at the airport, the witness said…

[The husband] said he found it quite amusing and wasn’t too worried about what Smith had done.

“I almost feel bad for putting the poor bloke in it now,” the husband said in a subsequent email. But the wife wanted to speak out, saying the more she thought about it the angrier she became.

“I’ve never actually reported anything to a newspaper or anything. We don’t want to convey the fact that we’re narking or gossiping about his private life. It’s kinda beside the point…

However, the All Blacks were put on a pedestal and were role models for young Kiwis, she said…

The All Black was representing his team at the time of the incident, wearing his number ones and in a very public place.

“They are kings and treated like absolute royalty…We hold these people so high in regard.

“They get paid more money than any other athlete, they’re household names, and they’re on the Weetbix boxes for God’s sake.”

NOT THE WEETBIX BOXES – is nothing held sacred anymore?

Reactions have been mixed, but perhaps what needs to be made clear is that the woman is not Smith’s partner, Teagan Voykovich [below].

Here’s the BBC with the fall-out:

[He] has been dropped for one game for breaching the All Blacks’ standards of behaviour…

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen said Smith is “bitterly disappointed in his behaviour”.

Hansen added the 27-year-old scrum-half “feels he has let the team, his family and his partner down”.

“He has asked to go home to deal with the personal matters that have come with this incident and we are happy to support him with that,” continued Hansen.

The coach added Smith’s punishment was decided by the leadership group made up of players within the team.

I suppose it’s good news for the Boks, who face the All Blacks this weekend in Durban, but I wouldn’t go betting your rent on us winning just yet.

If only someone could find bathroom tryst evidence on Beauden Barrett, the Savea brothers, Ben Smith, Kieran Read, Dane Coles…

[sources:stuff&bbc]