Craig Ray speaks about his first sighting of a young John Smit in 1996 and the remarkable achievement the Springbok captain will complete this Saturday, in The Times.
"This weekend, when he leads the team against the All Blacks on his home ground in Durban, Smit will play his 86th Test and, more significantly, captain the Springboks for a 60th time.
"Smit will surpass the world record for caps as skipper which he shares with England’s Will Carling and Australia’s George Gregan.
"It’s a monumental achievement. Longevity in an attritional game like rugby is rare, as are the vagaries of form and selection."
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