Kwagga Smith never imagined reaching the impressive milestone of 50 Test matches with the Springboks. However, his day arrived with a triumphant 32-15 victory against Scotland at Murrayfield, kick-starting the Boks' UK tour.
With this victory under their belt, Smith and his teammates are setting their sights firmly on the looming challenge of England on Saturday, a clash that promises to be their most formidable of teh three-match tour.
The Springboks demonstrated resilience in the face of a determined Scottish side, with Smith playing a crucial role in dismantling the Scottish strategy, particularly in the first half. Despite some personal errors during the match, the former Blitzbok star expressed immense pride in the team's collective achievement and the momentum they built ahead of the highly anticipated encounter at Twickenham.
Playing at Murrayfield and getting a win in my 50th Test is really special, Smith said. It was a tough game, and Scotland really played well. We made a lot of mistakes, but I think for the boys to pull through was really special. Running on for my 50th is crazy. It really is an honour playing with this team.
Smith's journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. The athlete first made his mark in Sevens, securing a Commonwealth gold medal and an Olympic Games bronze in 2016 with the South African Sevens side. Since transitioning to XVs, he has tasted unrivalled success, winning back-to-back Rugby World Cups in 2019 and 2023, and recently helping his team lift the Rugby Championship title for the first time since 2019.
