Smith says family behind retirement from Wallabies

 
AAP Roar Pro

By , 5 Feb 2010 AAP is a Roar Pro

Tagged:
 , ,

70 Have your say

Related coverage



Australia's George Smith is tackled by New Zealand's Stephen Donald. AAP Images

Australian rugby has been rocked with the news that George Smith, the Wallabies most capped forward, has retired from international rugby and has been formally granted a release from the Brumbies to play overseas at the end of the coming Super 14 season.

The 29-year-old announced he is stepping down from international rugby immediately and will leave the Brumbies at the end of this year’s Super 14 campaign.

Smith, who has three children under the age of five with wife Louise, says he is aiming to secure a move overseas after the Super 14 season but has no concrete plans in place.

“The decision to retire is a very difficult one for me,” Smith told reporters at the Australian Rugby Union’s Sydney headquarters.

“I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching for the past few months and I do feel I can still play top level rugby for years to come.

“But this decision is largely based about the most important people in my life – my family.

“They’ve made a lot of sacrifices during my career and now is the time to give back to my family, spend more quality time with them and have the chance to experience a different culture and experience it together as a family.”

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans paid Smith the ultimate compliment, saying he was the greatest No.7 in Australia’s rugby history.

“He’s right up there,” Deans said when asked how Smith compared to the other flankers he’d coached.

“He’s the best to have ever pulled a Wallabies jersey on, simply by the weight of numbers.

“You look at the number of games he’s played in a tough position. No-one has gone as long and as consistently.”

Smith, who twice won the John Eales Medal and collected the Brumbies Players’ Player award on eight occasions, says he’s keen to end his time in Australia with a Super 14 crown.

“I’ll be making sure all the players at the Brumbies are keen to win the title,” he said.

“It’s my last year and it would be a great way to go out.”

Smith has been under increasing pressure to hold onto a starting spot in the Wallabies lineup following the emergence of young gun David Pocock.

The Western Force backrower was preferred to Smith for the bigger matches during last year’s Spring tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Smith, who played in the 2003 and 2007 World Cups for Australia, made his international debut in 2000.

Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.

Get a daily rugby union email

Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it.

We value privacy. More.