A match-winner for the Junior Springboks in the U20 Championship opener against Georgia, flyhalf Jean Smith is writing a new chapter in his family’s rich rugby history.
Smith slotted 18 points, including two late pressure penalties, in a man-of-the-match performance to help the Junior Springboks get their campaign off to a winning start in Stellenbosch.
The son of former Springbok back and current Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco, Smith is the younger of two brothers writing their own rugby story. His older brother Franco Junior plays for Zebre in Italy.
“It’s very special to be able to wear the Smith name on my back,” Jean Smith said after the opening win.
“It’s exciting to be another Smith in the family to play rugby. It’s a God-given gift that I can take forward and I am very happy.”
A graduate of Grey College in Bloemfontein, Smith admitted that there were a few early nerves when he ran out in front of a crowd of 5000 fans at the Danie Craven Stadium.
“It was my first time on the field wearing the Springbok badge. It was very exciting, but I must say, I had a few jitters at the start.
“As soon as you get that first hit, that first phase, everything sort of goes away and you can focus on what you need to do to make the team better. So those jitters were there, but they quickly went away.
“Each player has his own routine to get ready for a game. I think mine might be different from most of the other players. I try to calm myself and listen to gospel music. On the field you just follow your processes, because consistency is the key.”
Smith attributes his flawless goalkicking performance to the hours he spent on the training ground.
“I train every day. They say practice makes perfect, but sometimes it’s not always perfect. You train to be consistent. It’s not something that just falls into place every day. I’ve been planning since the beginning of the year – during practice and on my own on weekends.
“When others might be taking a break, I put in extra time,” said Smith.
Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
