Kwagga Smith says he’s fit and ready to rumble with the Boks — report

Double World Cup winner Kwagga Smith is ready to take on Ireland in the two Tests in July, he confirmed this week, according to Sunday newspaper Rapport.

The Springboks take on Ireland on July 6 and 13 in Pretoria and Durban respectively, following the year’s opening Test against Wales at Twickenham on June 22.

While there were fears this week that the Boks would go into the two Ireland matches without an experienced No 8, Smith confirmed this week he will be ready to play after recently suffering a tendon injury in his groin area.

Smith, who normally plays at flank, is also comfortable at eighthman and would have been viewed by coach Rassie Erasmus as the go-to man to wear the No 8 jersey in an emergency.

‘Training again’

And with Duane Vermeulen now retired from the game, following last year’s World Cup win in France, and Jasper Wiese copping a six-match ban this week for a dangerous tackle, there were concerns the Boks would have to pick a rookie No 8 against Ireland.

But with Smith fit again, he is now probably the first-choice option to take on Ireland from the back of the scrum.
“I’m back in South Africa and definitely ready to take on Ireland,” Smith was quoted as saying by Rapport.

“I started training again comfortably with my Japanese team a month ago already.”

Options for Boks

The other players who’d be eighthman options for Erasmus are Bulls players Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom and Mpilo Gumede and Sharks No 8 Phepsi Buthelezi and Stormers eighthman Evan Roos. The Lions’ Francke Horn would also come into the picture, though he was not invited to either of the two Bok alignment camps this year.

The Sale Sharks duo of Dan and Jean-Luc du Preez would also be candidates for the Boks in the loose-trio.

Besides the banned Wiese, the Boks are certain to also be without Damien Willemse (finger) and Steven Kitshoff against Ireland, while there are concerns around the fitness of Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse and Lukhanyo Am.