Ben Smith, pictured in action against the Wallabies in Sydney, represented the New Zealand sevens team at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Ben Smith has declined the chance to represent New Zealand at the Rio Olympics.

All Blacks outside back Smith had been touted as a potential candidate to play in the sevens team under Gordon Tietjens in Brazil next year, but has told Highlanders management he wants to help the southerners defend their Super Rugby title.

This means Smith, who has co-captained the Highlanders with Nasi Manu in recent seasons, should also be available for all of the domestic tests against Wales and the Rugby Championship series.

Fellow All Blacks Kieran Read and Aaron Cruden have already stated they want to concentrate on the 15-man game next year.

Tietjens has already forwarded around 40 names on a "long list" to the New Zealand Olympic Committee as he makes preparations for Rio, but Smith has made it clear he didn't want to be on it.

A New Zealand Rugby spokesman confirmed the deadline for Tietjens' list was August 5 and that a squad of 26 will be finalised in November. An initial squad of 20 is likely to be unveiled next week.

It is understood Smith, who won a gold medal with New Zealand at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, had a clause in his New Zealand Rugby contract that allowed him to play at the Olympics but has elected to stay home.

Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said his organisation greeted Smith's decision with enthusiasm because any players preparing for the Olympics are expected to miss some, or all, of the Super Rugby tournament.

"He is not going to the sevens," Clark confirmed. "It wasn't something we discussed with him at all. It was a decision that he made and then we found out about it. It wasn't something we had any involvement in.

"Obviously we were pretty pleased when he made it because he is a vital part in our make-up, that is for sure."

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Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph will be relieved; with inspirational No 8 Manu having left to play for Scottish club Edinburgh, he will have been desperate to hold on to a valuable contributor such as his fullback.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will also be satisfied. Hansen is already set to lose Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu because they are retiring or going overseas after the World Cup.

Losing Smith, who will start at fullback against the Wallabies in Auckland on Saturday night, would have further eroded his core of experienced players.

While some players may only be required to skip around six rounds of Super Rugby, others, such as Chiefs loose forward Liam Messam could miss all of the competition to allow him to focus on changing his body shape and working on the speed skills required for the high-tempo code.

Other All Blacks to be touted as potential Olympians are Sonny Bill Williams, Julian and Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett and Victor Vito.

Tietjens is expected to name 16 contracted sevens players and 10 Super Rugby and All Blacks reps when he finalises his 26-man crew. This will be split into A and B categories; the latter will play at least four sevens tournaments as well as Super Rugby games. The group will be later pared back to a squad of 12 for the Games.

Tietjens has had to negotiate with Super Rugby franchises about who he can choose, aware he cannot pluck too many from one squad.

Read, who is expected to replace McCaw as captain next year, said he changed his mind after having a discussion with Hansen.

"It would be a hell of an opportunity but I will probably focus on making the All Blacks team. There is also the leadership [role] within the All Blacks, as well, which is probably a bigger part of [the decision]."