John Smit

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John Smit bigraphy, stories - South African rugby union player

John Smit : biography

3 April 1978 –

John William Smit (born 3 April 1978 in Pietersburg, South Africa) is the 50th captain of the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks, and currently playing professionally in England with Saracens. He has played most of his career as a hooker, but played twice for the Springboks off the bench as a prop prior to the South Africa coaching staff’s decision to use him as a tighthead prop for the 2008 end of year Tests. On 22 November 2008, he surpassed prop Os du Randt as the most-capped forward in Springboks history. He retired from international rugby following the 2011 Rugby World Cup as the most-capped player in South African history, with 111 appearances.

While still active at club level, Smit was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame on 24 October 2011, alongside all other Rugby World Cup-winning captains and head coaches from the tournament’s inception in 1987 through 2007 (minus the previously inducted John Eales).

Smit attended Pretoria Boys High School where he was head prefect in 1996 and played for the school’s First XV from 1994 to 1996.

Clermont

During the run-up to the 2007 Rugby World Cup, he was linked with the French club Clermont. He eventually signed a two-year deal with Clermont, effective after the World Cup. Despite his move to France, the South African Rugby Union announced on 20 February 2008 that he would retain his Boks captaincy. . After just one year with Clermont, Smit rejoined The Natal Sharks and the Super 14 side Sharks.

Missed Matches as Captain

Date Opposition Venue Score Status Captain
2007-06-23 New Zealand ABSA Stadium, Durban 21–16 2007 Tri Nations Victor Matfield
2007-06-01 Australia Stadium Australia, Sydney 17–25 Bobby Skinstad
2007-07-14 New Zealand Jade Stadium, Christchurch 6–33 Johann Muller
2007-08-15 Namibia Newlands, Cape Town 105–13 Rugby World Cup warm-up tests Victor Matfield
2007-07-14 Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh 27–3 Victor Matfield
2007-09-22 Tonga Stade Félix-Bollaert, Lens 30–25 2007 Rugby World Cup Bobby Skinstad
2008-06-21 Italy Newlands, Cape Town 26–0 Test Match Victor Matfield
2008-07-12 New Zealand Carisbrook, Dunedin 30–28 2008 Tri Nations Victor Matfield
2008-07-12 Australia Subiaco Oval, Perth 9–16 Victor Matfield
2008-08-09 Argentina Ellis Park, Johannesburg 63–9 Test Match Victor Matfield
2008-08-16 New Zealand Newlands, Cape Town 0–19 2008 Tri Nations Victor Matfield
2008-07-23 Australia ABSA Stadium, Durban 15–27 Victor Matfield
2008-07-30 Australia Ellis Park, Johannesburg 53–8 Victor Matfield
2010-06-19 Italy Puma Rugby Stadium, Witbank 29–13 Italian Test Series Victor Matfield
2010-11-06 Ireland Aviva Stadium, Dublin 23–21 Grand Slam tour Victor Matfield
2010-11-13 Wales Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 00–00 Victor Matfield
2010-11-20 Scotland Murrayfield, Edinburgh 17–21 Victor Matfield
2010-11-27 England Twickenham, London 21–11 Victor Matfield
2011-08-20 New Zealand Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth 18–5 2011 Tri Nations Victor Matfield
2011-09-30 Samoa North Harbour Stadium, Auckland 13–5 2011 Rugby World Cup Victor Matfield