Comments on: Smit says a sad goodbye

By: Number15(Number15)

Number15(Number15) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:56:28 +0000

John Smit, you will always be a legend. Achieved so much in your career and did it with dignity. I will always remember your best days. You are a great player, a gentleman, and the embodiment of rugby spirit. No matter how many cheap shots have been thrown at you by so called fans, you never complained, you just did the job that was asked of you.

Proud to have been a supporter through these times. Like all the Springboks on Saturday, you can hold your head high from that last game. Thanks for the memories.

Cheers

By: Dudeson77(Dudeson77)

Dudeson77(Dudeson77) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:40:08 +0000

Thank you linesmen , thank you ball boys! It’s been an honor to witness one of the best captains in the history of this game play!!

Nag ou grote!

By: Helen(Helen)

Helen(Helen) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:32:02 +0000

We should be bold in our choice of captain now.
Much like Cricket did by picking Smit and then allowing him to grow into the role, we could do the same with someone like Andries Bekker, Bismarck or even Juan de Jongh

By: Helen(Helen)

Helen(Helen) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:29:42 +0000

In my book, John Smit is now named alongside Danie Craven, Franois Pienaar, Naas Botha and Morne du Plessis as the greatest Springbok ambassadors ever!

The only regret I have is that there was not a captain groomed to repplace him.

By: Great White Shark(Predawn)

Great White Shark(Predawn) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:21:12 +0000

@Black Panther(Black Panther)-33: Piss-off troll.

By: Great White Shark(Predawn)

Great White Shark(Predawn) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:19:53 +0000

Well done Smit! We’ll miss your presence. You served the Boks and Sharks with distinction winning everything but a Super Rugby title.

A career of note..and you survived the most ridiculous coach known to man.

By: Helen(Helen)

Helen(Helen) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:04:25 +0000

Smitty’s reign coincided with the most most successful years of Bok rugby reputation on and off the field.

Under Jhn Smit, there was no:
1) Racism
2) Provincialism
3) Inter team conflict
4) Players humiliating themselves in public
5) Staaldraad
6) Foul play

Smitty restored Bok rugby’s reputation.
Yes, we didn’t get the webb ellis, but Bok rugby is for once a reputable brand without all the cr ap that used to trip us up off the field

TTo be fair, yesterday’s game was lost by the better team.
I think a Bok vs Kiwi semi would have gone our way too

Well done Jhn Smit.
You are a hero!

By: Jinx2(Jinx2)

Jinx2(Jinx2) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:53:14 +0000

@GreenFan(GreenFan)-27: Bells is a cheap blend Scotch. Like Smitty.

By: Jinx2(Jinx2)

Jinx2(Jinx2) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:51:15 +0000

@Ethel(Ethel)-9: He is so in love with himself, it is sick. What a teefkop.

By: OCO(OCO)

OCO(OCO) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:16:08 +0000

Cheers Smitty, you will remain the best captain SA rugby has ever had for many years to come.
Your achievements will be difficult to beat.
You gave it your best shot but remember the Boks came off second best only after you had left the field and were totally rudderless.

By: TheTackler(TheTackler)

TheTackler(TheTackler) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:56:27 +0000

He outstayed his welcome but that’s hardly his fault. He didn’t select himself — that was one of Divvy’s many follies.

By: Black Panther(Black Panther)

Black Panther(Black Panther) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:14:07 +0000

“I hope that in future years the guys who have played with me will look back and ask: “What would Smitty have done” on and off the field.’”

Justice4 Arrogance ?

By: Champs 95 07 and Beyond(Champs 95 07 and Beyond)

Champs 95 07 and Beyond(Champs 95 07 and Beyond) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:04:47 +0000

Thanks Barney greatest Bok captain WC and British Lions, 111 games.
Hope you stay involved with Bok rugby in some capacity.

To the future Bok coach and captain. Could we please please have a policy of playing to win every test we play. Never never put the 4 year policy of preparing for a WC as an excuse to play B teams and lose. Be proud of the Bok jersey. I dont mind losing if we have tried our best (ie yesterday the Boks still did us proud). As a fan I want to better our win/loss ratio against Australia and the All Blacks and win the end of year tour games. The WC will be the cherry on top. But not the be all and end all.

By: Hurricane(Hurricane)

Hurricane(Hurricane) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:59:33 +0000

@TheBandit(TheBandit)-23: I think Jack black would be awesome to play Smit in a movie

By: Kietzphat(Kietzphat)

Kietzphat(Kietzphat) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:16:06 +0000

No disrespect from me.

Thank you John Smit for your service to Springbok rugby.

Yes, maybe you hung on a year and a bit too long, but hindsight is a perfect science.

I will remember you as the man who led Springbok rugby back from the debacle of the ’03 world cup. As a Tri-Nations, B&I Lions Series and World Cup winning captain and a true gentleman of the game. I take my hat off to you, sir.

Thank you Victor Matfield for your service to the game. You are every bit a Springbok Legend and then some more.

Similarly Fourie du Preez, who at the top of his game had no peer.

Danie Rossouw = yster.

I will choose to remember these players in the context of their whole careers, not the past year and disappointment of the game today.

All the best for the future.

By: TheTackler(TheTackler)

TheTackler(TheTackler) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:39:59 +0000

Put the utterly useless no-pass crash-basher Jean de Villiers out to pasture too. What a dumb midfielder he is! Wouldn’t even make the Russian team on merit.

By: wooden spoon(wooden spoon)

wooden spoon(wooden spoon) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:00:45 +0000

Before 2004 we chopped and changed and shafted our captains on whims.

Some of the Bulls players even called Joost “cappie” because they couldn’t accept a Province captain.

Some former coaches never played the same team team twice in a row.

John Smit came in at a time of turmoil for Boks, after the Boks first ever (and to this day) only pool loss at a RWC and a humiliatingly one sided exit at the first knockout stage.

We have since been blessed with 8 years of stability and some success. Two Tri Nations and a World Cup. In that period, we have also beaten the All Blacks on more occasions than any other team.

John Smit was a great ambassador for South African rugby. Thank you and go well.

By: GreenFan(GreenFan)

GreenFan(GreenFan) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:46:33 +0000

I think in time when autobiographies arrive from the likes of Matfield, Du Preez and maybe way down the line even from a guy like Bismark we will know more about what John Smit really meant to this team. In the meantime, maybe the outsiders looking in should just have the decency to use this thread for a respectful thank you and goodbye. There is no doubt he deserves it even if history will suggest he stayed on a year to far. Many a champ has. And a champ he most definitely is!

Get that man a Bells….

By: julz(julz)

julz(julz) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:34:10 +0000

Thank you for all your courage, dedication and strong leadership over the last decade. A true great of the game. You will be remembered for a long time. All the best for your future. I am sure you will make a success of whatever you choose to do. Cheers and thanks for all the entertainment and the 2007 WC.

By: once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)

once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:10:22 +0000

you are a good man and were a great captain,
so long john…i’ll always have your back on keo.co.za…