Another setback for Smith

Another setback for Smith

4 Apr 2012

Juan Smith will use the remainder of the season to recover from injury and won’t be available to the Springboks and Cheetahs until 2013.

The Bok flanker injured his Achilles tendon in the 2011 Super Rugby competition and was forced to miss the subsequent World Cup as a result. After undergoing a series of operations and extensive rehabilitation he was expected to return to the Cheetahs team ahead of their round seven clash with the Lions this Saturday.

But on Wednesday, Smith told Die Volksblad that he will not be taking any chances and that he intends to use the remainder of 2012 to fully recover from what has been a troublesome injury. The 30-year-old hopes the decision will prolong his career.

The news will come as a big blow to the Cheetahs, but also to the Boks ahead of their three-Test series against England in June.


36 Comments

  • 1.ufo: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:30 am

    Sad news… but let’s hope he does indeed recover fully and come back next year strong as bull elephant in must…!!

  • 2.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:30 am

    This dragon has lost his puff for good, I’m afraid.

  • 3.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:30 am

    Balls.

  • 4.ufo: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:32 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-2:

    It does seem that way…

    but let’s hope the year off will see him come right…

  • 5.stormer in a teacup: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:34 am

    I suspect you are right. I hope not though.

  • 6.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:38 am

    Eish,

    At this stage he is just costing the Cheetahs money, which they can spend elsewhere (on Frans Steyn perhaps…).

    Legend, but I think it’s retirement time.

  • 7.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:39 am

    sad news. Hope he recovers fully to have a swansong season in 2013.

  • 8.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:40 am

    Don’t be sad Hendrikus.

    That’s what insurance is for.

  • 9.wp_boytjie: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:41 am

    Legendary player. The modern Andre Venter

  • 10.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:54 am

    Sad to see, by the time he comes back he will be turning 32.

    If I was him, I’d seriously consider a stint in a Japanese or European team for 2 years rather than slogging it out in Super Rugby in 2013. He sure as hell deserves a comfortable retirement.

  • 11.houston, we have a problem...: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:58 am

    this must suck for him.
    maybe he should just refocus on a swansong in japan or elsewhere.

    still a wc winner.

  • 12.hendrikp: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 08:59 am

    @the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-8:

    Still a place taken on the roster.

  • 13.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:19 am

    I see Mitchell is considering his 6th lock for the season for the Lions Cheetahs game. A 19 year old junior Springbok from Monument (originally from Tsumeb, Namibia) who stands 1.99m tall and weighs…

    …wait for it…

    …135kg

    Yoh.

  • 14.RedMan: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:24 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-13: Does he have a name? I’m looking for remotely interesting things to google

  • 15.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:25 am

    @RedMan(RedMan)-14: Paul Willemse.

  • 16.RedMan: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:26 am

    I found him – Paul Willemse

    It will be easier lifting one of the props in the lineout. Perhaps Willemse will do the lfiting?

  • 17.the artist formerly known as gunther: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:27 am

    Indeed Katters.

    He sounds like a bit of a monument.

    They are going to need a forklift for the lineouts.

  • 18.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:27 am

    I said it yesterday, he must retire or go play overseas.

    Lots of young talent in SA has overtaken him.

    And no use to think of him as the player he was in 2007, thats is 5 years ago.

  • 19.sparticus: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:29 am

    @RedMan(RedMan)-16: Geez he is a big boy ! U guys sure he is 19 only ? Farrk me

  • 20.Oranjebliksemblou: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:32 am

    Massive blow not only for Cheetahs but for the Boks. All the guys saying that he must retire dont know their rugby.

  • 21.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:40 am

    To remedy the woeful lineout stats, Mitchell is going through more locks than the average Observatory home goes through in a year. But methinks he should look at the short one wot is frowing the ball and not the long one wot is catching it. Just a thought.

  • 22.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:42 am

    @RedMan(RedMan)-14: Google Sharingan.

  • 23.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:45 am

    @sparticus(sparticus)-19: He is going to do some damage. Is he going to start? They are definetly missing Wikus.

  • 24.scrumfan: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 09:56 am

    I was born in Tsumeb. Going to be keeping an eye on the youngster.

  • 25.Loki: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 10:30 am

    Question: Has Juan Smith’s obsession with going to the 2011 WC (he was pushing really hard to be fit in time) not cost him in the long run?

  • 26.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 10:49 am

    @Loki(Loki)-25: maybe.

  • 27.houston, we have a problem...: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 11:02 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-13:
    that is a lot of meat…

  • 28.stormer in a teacup: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 11:17 am

    Wake up HP. Juan could have taken the money and bolted to any other union. He has stayed with Vrystaat through alles. He is a symbol of what a team man is. His value to the States will go way beyond his place on the roster.

  • 29.Joe Maher: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 11:35 am

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-21:
    I fink your fort are right, katman

  • 30.Bagel: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 12:14 pm

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-21: Do/did you live in Obs? I moved in beginning of last year and haven’t had any problems barring some copper piping being taken.

    Just interested, I absolutely love the place.

  • 31.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 12:22 pm

    @Bagel(Bagel)-30: I stayed there for a while in my younger days. It’s the break-in capital of cape town, without a doubt. Ask any estate agent. On-street parking in Obs is what keeps PG Autoglass afloat.

  • 32.wpjoulekkading: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 14:30 pm

    Well good luck Juan, I hope you make it back.
    A fit Juan Smith is giant menace to the opposition, and would walk into almost any international side.
    If he recovers fully and is nice and fit when he comes back next year, there is not reason he could not play a some more years, even make it to the 2015 WC.
    He would have to really show he is back to his best and can stay fit, but if he takes the time now for good recovery and conditioning that is possible.

  • 33.DAS: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 15:56 pm

    Hope he gets back. Such a force when he’s fit– I can still remember Steve Hansen saying even more than Matfield, he was the forward that the All Blacks hated having to prepare for.

  • 34.seabiscuit: Reply to this comment
    4 Apr 2012, 16:17 pm

    terrible news for juan :(

    recon alberts is the obvious choice and lets just c how elstadt goes but he could be right up there too

  • 35.Bradenel: Reply to this comment
    5 Apr 2012, 07:45 am

    I discussed with my father just a week ago that if Juan Smith has one more, just one more injury its retirement time. I think he’s made the right decision and Im hoping that we’ll see his devastating skills and experience next year in full form…

  • 36.viewer: Reply to this comment
    5 Apr 2012, 15:08 pm

    by the time he returns in 2013 or whenever, he’ll be over 32 years old. he’ll have been overtaken by a number of players as far as Test selection is concerned. if i was him, i’d either quit now, or recover and play a few seasons of non-pressurised rugby in japan

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