#TuksRugby: Smit is all heart when it comes to playing rugby for UP-Tuks

Posted on October 18, 2018

Smit is all heart when it comes to playing rugby for UP-Tuks

 

Stephan Smit might not be the "biggest" player to play for UP-Tuks in next year’s Varsity Cup Tournament, but he does “pack a punch”.

 

Apparently, size does not matter to Smit when it comes to defending his team’s try line. For him, it is a case of the bigger you are, the harder you are going down.

 

Andries Kruger (UP-Tuks sevens rugby coach) said Smit is not just relishing going for the hard tackles; he has perfected the art of doing so.

 

“In the recent Varsity Sevens Tournament it often happened that ‘Karools’ would execute three successive tackles in mere seconds. The moment he brought an opponent down he was back on his feet searching for his next ‘victim’. What makes him so useful is that he has got a real sense for the game. It is as if he can anticipate what is going to happen next.”

 

At the moment the 19-year old Smit is 1.86m tall but weighs only 86kg which is considered to be small for a flank forward. He admits that it is quite a challenge to gain more weight.

 

Kruger is however confident that he will do so and once he does it might be frightening as to the impact he could have on the outcome of any game.

 

The coach has no hesitation in stating Smit is also the ultimate team player. An interesting statistic is that he played four sevens tournaments for UP-Tuks before he got to score his first try. That to Kruger proves as to how it always will be about what is best for the team to Smit.

 

 “There were opportunities for ‘Karools’ to score but he would instead pass the ball to a teammate to make sure it is a definite try,” explained Kruger.

 

The build-up to the Varsity Sevens Tournament is another point of proving to Smit’s loyalty. On some days he would first train with the Bulls under-21 side and then go straight on to train with UP-Tuks. He never once begged off from doing anything his UP-Tuks teammates were doing. Even if it meant he had to go through the same fitness exercises for the second time.

 

When listening to Smit talk rugby, it becomes clear that he is hell-bent on making the most of any opportunity that comes his way. Last year he was not first choice to play for UP-Tuks which meant he trained with Blue Bulls Tuks Rugby Academy. However, when he got the opportunity to play for the UP-Tuks second side against the A-team, he impressed to such an extent that he became a regular in the Carlton Cup Competition and went on to play Varsity Rugby earlier this season.

 

The former All Blacks captain, Richie McCaw, is a role model to Smit. It should be no surprise.

 

“I admired the way he always was prepared to put in the hard work for whichever team he was playing. That is something I am also striving to do,” said Smit.

 

UP-Tuks Varsity Cup fixtures for 2019: 4 February – CUT (at home); 11 February – UJ (away); 18 February – Maties (at home); 25 February – Wits (at home); 4 March – UWC (away); 11 March – Kovsies (away); 18 March – NWU (away); 25 March – Ikeys (home).

 

- Author Wilhelm de Swardt

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