Juan working on comeback

Juan working on comeback

19 Sep 2012

Juan Smith hopes to make a successful return to rugby in 2013.

The veteran Springbok flank has been struggling to recover from an Achilles injury he suffered during Super Rugby two years ago. He hasn’t featured for the Springboks since the 2010 end-of-year tour and decided to miss the entire 2012 season to focus on his rehabilitation.

Smith hopes to be match fit in time for the next Super Rugby season.

‘I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself,’ Smith told keo.co.za. ‘At this stage, I’m just working hard on my rehab. I’ve also started a career in the corporate world, so I’m keeping myself busy.

‘My aim is to make a comeback in Super Rugby with the Cheetahs, but we’ll see how things go. I’m just taking things one day at a time.’

The Springboks have struggled with injuries this season, especially in the loose forward department. Head coach Heyneke Meyer has previously lamented the loss of Smith, who would’ve added value if available.

Although he turned 31 in July, Smith still hopes to play Test rugby.

‘Playing for the Springboks again is definitely one of my goals. I’ll need to prove myself when I’m ready.’

Smith made his international debut in 2003 and has played 63 Tests for the Boks.

By Gareth Duncan


45 Comments

  • 1.NicG: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 10:44 am

    Yster Dragon!

    Would love to see this guy play again – one of the hardest grafters around and never looked for the limelight. It is a long, long lay off to come back from though…

  • 2.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 10:45 am

    look juan, ditch the cheetahs and come to bulls like wikus did 5 years ago.
    You’ll in all likelyhood get a superrugby medal out of it.

  • 3.puff: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 10:57 am

    My favourite rugby player.
    Would more than likely be captaining the Boks right now if not for his injury.
    I wish him well and hope his return is successful, worthwhile and rewarding.

  • 4.puff: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 11:01 am

    1. Nyakana 2. Strauss 3. Oosthuizen 4. Smith 5. Muller 6. Brussow 7. Labuschagne 8. Van Der Walt 9. Van Zyl 10. Goosen 11. Ruhle 12. Ebershon 13. Sadie 14. Smit 15. Le Roux

    16. Barnes 17. De Klerk 18. Ferreira 19. Floors 20. Pretorius 21. Venter 22. Daniller

  • 5.puff: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 11:03 am

    Imagine how much the likes of Etzebeth, Coetzee, Kolisi, Alberts, Vermeulen will benefit with Smith and Burger back in the Bok mix.

  • 6.Mr Black: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 11:23 am

    Juan will never play for the boks again.

  • 7.clownface: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 11:41 am

    BOSS player!!

  • 8.dquinn25: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 11:43 am

    Whatever happened to Wikus Van Heerden he was touted as a superstar back row forward and did really well in 2007?

  • 9.Puma: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 11:48 am

    Was one of my favourite Bok and Cheetah player. One of our best Boks ever too. Just don’t see him playing fo the Boks again.

    We now have Alberts, Marcel, Elstadt, PSDT and probably Burger coming back that all play 7, so really not sure if we will ever see Juan back playing for Boks.

  • 10.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:15 pm

    @dquinn25-8:

    I think he turned 35 or so is what happened.

    Was playing great as lock for the lions it must be said before injury.

  • 11.Craven: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:16 pm

    Juan can add a lot of value to Boks int eh Way that Os and Monty did in 2004 to 2007.

  • 12.BokkeYouBeauties: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:33 pm

    By a country mile, the best 7 to wear the bok jersey for his generation, and personally, one a my favourite players of all time. Don’t think he’ll ever be as good as he was though. Legend

  • 13.Skeppie: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm

    @BokkeYouBeauties-12: I second that. For me the best bok forward post isolation.

  • 14.hoof hearted: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:37 pm

    hard to find anything negative to say or think about Juan…
    What a legend!

  • 15.willievz: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:43 pm

    @puff-4: Agree.

    Juan at lock.

    Lappies at flank.

    That Lappies is one hell of a player.

  • 16.Rage: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:47 pm

    what I like most about this man is the loyalty he has shown towards the Cheetahs over the years. unheard of in the pro era.Also never one for the limelight..consummate pro.

  • 17.Braders: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:54 pm

    Juandre Kruger should play 7. Great lineout option, mobile and tough.

  • 18.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 12:59 pm

    I would rather find a place for Juan in the Bok setup so he can be captain than accommodate JDV at 13. Juan is a player thats always in form and imo he will play world class rubgy till he’s 37 or so like Brad Thorn.

    I’d rather have Juan at 7 before Burger, just for the record I like Burger but Juan is a much better 7.

  • 19.BokkeYouBeauties: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 13:05 pm

    http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=6&cad=rja&ved=0CEUQtwIwBQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D5srxTpF6Lkg&ei=OZ5ZUPrPGZCQhQfXxIHICA&usg=AFQjCNG5RHumrtFkz850PwcXS4ejRv6yPw

  • 20.patch: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 13:20 pm

    I think its going to tough for him to come back. Especially with how long the super rugby season will be . If he is managed properly and doesn’t play every single game then maybe he will be able to make a come back. But south African coaches like to play there players into the ground.

  • 21.corporal punishment: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 13:41 pm

    Similar athlete to mccaw’ albeit different positions (tho these days mccaw is more an nz 6 or as 7, than an open side)

  • 22.goodstuff: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 13:56 pm

    @Brigadier Van Zyl-2: Whatever, the bulls love their greese ball potgieter too much!

  • 23.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 14:43 pm

    Best blindside in modern era..(Hill,Andre Venter,Finnegan,Collins)

    Shift to lock would elongate his career and add even more athleticism to Bok pack

    2yrs out alsp counts FOR him as his body gets enforced rest especially for one who played through so many injuries.

    Bok captain as well.

    Will him well on comeback…Come on its Juan Smith

  • 24.Doughnut: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 15:13 pm

    Great player but unfortunately doubt he will scale the peaks he operated at … best he keeps his memories and works on his coaching quals ..

    He was one of the quiet hard men on the field, I dont remember seeing anyone give him sh*t ..

    Would be very happy to be proven wrong though !!

  • 25.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 15:34 pm

    Dont see this Dragon making a comeback but he is a Legend.

  • 26.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 15:59 pm

    If Ali Williams can come back and win a wc medal after 2 yrs out with same injury as Juan than surely Smith can do it

  • 27.groen: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 16:30 pm

    http://youtu.be/X8tu6-GvK2g try vs ireland

  • 28.katman: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 16:37 pm

    If his injury has healed properly, I have no doubt he can get back to his peak. I’d also like to see him switch to lock. At 1.96m and 112kg, he’s big enough, and he’s a great line-out option. A lock combo of Etsebeth and Smith would be something to look forward to. And he’d be my pick as captain by a mile.

  • 29.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 18:21 pm

    @mshiniwami-23: yeah Smith probably edges it, some great names there. A word too for Gorgodze (Geo), Zanni (Ita), Ferris (Ire), Kaino (NZ) and Fernandez Lobbe (Arg) who played half his test career at blindside.

  • 30.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 18:26 pm

    @katman-28: I thought he was shorter than that.

    It would be nice to see a Bok pack with,

    1.Beast
    2.Bissie
    3.Coenie
    4.Etsebeth
    5.Juan (C)
    6.Brussow
    7.Burger
    8.Vermeulen

  • 31.goforthegap00: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 19:00 pm

    @JA-JA-30: great pack there

  • 32.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 19:03 pm

    Just had a look and Juan Smith is 1cm taller than Brad Thorn and 6 years younger, he can easily captain the Boks to next RWC in 2015.

    Now I hope more than ever he makes a return to form and I’m sure he will.

  • 33.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 19:11 pm

    @JA-JA-30: That pack will weigh in at about 910kg

  • 34.gunther: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 19:13 pm

    @JA-JA-30:

    That’s a great pack but there are a few ifs and buys there.

  • 35.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 19:40 pm

    @gunther-34: If they will be awesome or not, but they will be amazing.

  • 36.kaksioek: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 19:48 pm

    @ JA-JA 30: I think Etsebeth would be the 5 in that lock combination, but otherwise looking good.

  • 37.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    19 Sep 2012, 19:58 pm

    Finally some news on Juan……

    At 31 it won’t be easy but his one of the few players that can hit the ground running after a long lay-off.

    If the Cheetahs get a decent defensive coach they will have a great 2013 Super Rugby season.

  • 38.kwas: Reply to this comment
    20 Sep 2012, 01:37 am

    Juan certainly a legend but not in the same mould as Brad Thorn who remained without serious injury for virtually his entire career. Brad was indestructible whilst Juan has been plagued by injury throughout his Bok career. Two very different situations, gents.

  • 39.Bouts: Reply to this comment
    20 Sep 2012, 09:54 am

    Hmmm… if he can come back in good form, I’d have him as captain rather than Jean who obviously have gone from bad to worse.

    I saw him a few weeks ago, and he looks fantastic. Guess we’ll know in Feb whether he should retire.

  • 40.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Sep 2012, 13:42 pm

    @mshiniwami-23:

    Couldn’t agree more!

  • 41.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Sep 2012, 13:44 pm

    @JA-JA-32:

    Actually, he’s 1.97 – not 1.96.
    Not that I’m looking to quibble over such a small difference.
    But it just shows you – he’s taller than both Thorn and Danie Rossouw.
    Plus he’s alwaysa been a banker in the lineout.
    When he withdrew from participation in the 2011 WC, Jake White stated how much Boks would miss him and how crucial he is to the lineout supremacy of the side – even with Matfield and Botha/Rossouw there.

  • 42.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Sep 2012, 13:45 pm

    @JA-JA-30:

    Swap the locks around and I’d buy that for a dollar!
    Smith, Burger and Bismark – all could and would lead from the front!

  • 43.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Sep 2012, 13:46 pm

    @puff-42:

    Include Steenkamp, Strauss, Jannie, Rossouw, Bekker, Kolisi, Coetzee in the squad plus Ralepelle, Louw and Kankowski on the fringes…

    … and you have a world-beating bunch of forwards right there!

  • 44.Skeppie: Reply to this comment
    20 Sep 2012, 13:48 pm

    @puff-41: And the gives the forwards great balance, can then afford a real fetcher and a more ball orientated no8.

  • 45.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Sep 2012, 13:49 pm

    Woops – left out Alberts.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

Have your say

You must be logged in to post a comment.