Much has been said about the physical shape of the Springbok captain going into the massively important final year of his illustrious career, but it is certainly worth noting that John Smit is mentally refreshed to boot, and his dry wit was to the fore when he fronted at a press conference at the Shark Tank yesterday.
“I feel good, I reckon I am fit, but no doubt I will be judged on Saturday,” he smiled, referring to the Sharks opening Super Rugby match, against the Cheetahs at Mr Price Kings Park (5pm). “I am just so pleased that it is game time after having been chased around for the last four months (on the training field). The hardest part of the season is over, believe me.”
Smit has dropped about seven kgs since resuming training after undergoing a neck operation in October, not long after the Tri-Nations ended in September. He did not play in the Currie Cup and missed his first Springbok End-of-Year tour in a decade.
The result? “I am refreshed. It is the first proper pre-season I have had in a long time. The operation was done at the perfect time because I had a good period away from rugby (convalescing) and then was able to do pre-season training with the youngsters at the Sharks. It has been really good for me.”
Smit has long intimated that he will retire after the Rugby World Cup, meaning this will be his Super rugby swansong.
“It is crazy to think that I have been playing in this tournament since 1999. It has changed so much and grown hugely in stature,” said Smit, who has been restored to the Sharks’ captaincy after Johann Muller and Stefan Terblanche shared the reins in recent years.
Coach John Plumtree wanted to take the pressure of Smit in consideration of his Springbok duties, but in 2011 Plumtree recognises that this is a poignant year for the much-respected Smit, and one in which he very much wants to lead from the front, heading into the World Cup.
“It looks like this is the last one and I would like it to be a special campaign, of course, and we have a very good squad, indeed,” Smit admitted. “But the one thing that I have learned over all these years is that only a fool looks past the game immediately in front of you.”
This time last year the game in front of the Sharks was the Cheetahs, as it is this season, and Smit does not disguise the fact that a year ago the Sharks were in disarray.
“It was not a good time at all. We had a terrible pre-season. It would take a heck of a lot for us to not be in a better position in 2011 compared to this time last year. There were so many disruptions, particularly at flyhalf and it took us a good while to actually find one in the end,” Smit said.
“This year we have had far less go wrong. There is consistency in the squad, the Boks had a decent amount of time off and arrived back in good enough shape to catch up to the rest of the guys, so in general we are feeling settled and are determined to start the tournament a whole lot better this time!” Smit said, referring to the Sharks’ disastrous five-match losing run at the start of last year’s campaign.
The very first game they lost was against the Cheetahs … will it be different this year? `
“Over the last a few weeks we have heard a lot from them about how they fancy their chances of beating us and changing their luck in Super Rugby,” Smit said. “It is true that this format will suit them because they enjoy playing local teams and have had success home and away in the derbies, but have battled with the travel.
“So starting well by winning a local derby in the first round will be very important to them. The thing is, after what happened to us last year, this match has some significance for us too …” the captain said with no little understatement.
by mike Greenaway www.iol.co.za
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