Wayne Smith has ended speculation about his future by committing himself to the New Zealand national team.

The All Blacks' backs coach had been strongly linked with a move to Celtic League outfit Ospreys, but told reporters on Sunday that he is staying with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU).

"I am staying with the All Blacks," he said at the team's hotel. "I had to resolve some of the time away from home issues which I've done with Steve Tew (New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive) and Jock Hobbs (NZRU chairman).

"I've probably got more ability now to control the peripheral activities of being an All Black coach, the high performance stuff" said Smith, whose contract runs until 2009.

"Ultimately it came down to these fellahs here (head coach Graham Henry and forwards chief Steve Hansen), the people I coach with, the management team and the players. They are pretty special people and I don't think you could get there anywhere else."

Smith returned to New Zealand in 2004 after a spell in charge of Northampton. A former All Blacks head coach, he was brought back into the national fold by Graham Henry. Henry, Smith and Steve Hansen were controversially retained by the NZRU after the All Blacks exited the 2007 World Cup at the quarter final stage.

But after seeing the team achieve a Grand Slam tour of the UK Smith says that there is nowhere he'd rather be as a coach.

"I love the jersey, love my country, love the people I'm working with and coaching," he said. "At the end of the day that's the most important thing in the game but sometimes you've got to remind yourself of that."