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George Smith
Full name	George Smith
Date of birth	1980-07-14
Place of birth	Manly, NSW
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	103 kg (227 lb)
Rugby union career
Position	Flanker
Super Rugby		Caps	(points)
2000-present	Brumbies	93	(75)
Current local club:	Manly RUFC
correct as of 2006-08-31.
National team(s)
2000-present	Australia	83	(40)
correct as of 2006-08-31.
Other Information
Occupation	Professional rugby union footballer
School attended	Cromer High School, Sydney
Children	1

George Smith (born 14 July 1980 in Manly, NSW) is an Australian rugby union player. He is a flanker for the Brumbies in Super 14. He has won 83 caps for the Australian national rugby union team since his test debut in 2000 against France in Paris. He is the second most capped wallably foward behind former captain John Eales

Contents 1 Career 1.1 Junior career 1.2 Brumbies career 1.3 Wallabies career 2 Awards 3 Personal 4 Senior Tours 5 External links 6 See also 7 References

Smith is a noted rugby union player who has been a main feature of the Wallabies team for the past few years. His gameplay around rucks and mauls is fearless and frequently turns over the ball in favour of Australia. Smith is known as a work horse around the field. His skills with ball in hand are very rare for a forward yet he is also a damaging tackler in defence. He is widely regarded as one of the world's best openside flankers^{[weasel words]}, with his major ability of stealing ruck ball.

George began playing rugby with the Warringah Roos, before moving on to play the majority of his junior career with the Manly Vikings, playing a year above his age group in the Sydney junior rugby competition. Once that team had reached it's age limit (17 years old) and moved on to the colts competition, George remained in the Sydney junior rugby competition, this time lining up in his correct age group for the Balgowlah/Seaforth Raiders, winning the premiership in his final year of junior rugby.

After playing a full game in Penrith during this season, the first grade coaches of the Manly side (who were playing on a neraby oval) asked George to come on as a substitute. Despite being only 17 years old, having played a full game, and having no time to prepare for the step up, George handled himself well, being one of the best players on the park. This augured well for his professional career, as then-Brumbies coach Eddie Jones was in the crowd. It was in fact Jones who requested George be given a run, so that Jones could see him play against bigger, more experienced players before signing him to a pre-contract.

During his junior career George was selected for many representitive teams, including Manly, Sydney, Northern Zone, NSW, Australian Under 16's and Australian Schoolboys. George also had a successful school career, first at Balgowlah Boys High School, then at Cromer High School, where, along with Tongan international John Payne and current Manly and Western Sydney Rams player James Lakepa, he won the Australian Schools Championship. After moving on to colts, George played for Manly, before moving to Canberra to begin his contract with the ACT Brumbies.

George also played Rugby League in his youth as a hooker for Cromer, before giving the game away after failing to gain selection in the Manly Sea Eagles Harold Mathews (Under 16's) side.

He is often voted Players' Player of the Year ^[1], awarded for fair-play by his team mates and officials. He has recently been chosen as a member of the Wallaby Team of the Decade, a remarkable feat considering his age and one of only three current players picked. In 2002, he was the first recipient of the John Eales Medal, awarded by the Australian Rugby Union and the Rugby Union Players' Association to their Player of the Year^[2].

He won the Australian Super 14 player of the year in 2006 ^[3]

In 2007 the breakdown specialist capped off another remarkable season claiming the Brett Robinson Award as the CA Brumbies’ Players’ Player for the fifth consecutive year;^[4] AND the Super 14 player of the year; ^[5] AND finally the prestigious Rugby Union Players’ Association 'Rugby Medal for Excellence’ - underlining his position as one of rugby’s most respected players - reinforced even further by becoming the Wallabies 75th captain, against Canada at the 2007 World Cup.

Despite his name, he is of Tongan descent.^{[citation needed]} Until late 2006, when he decided to sell his dreadlocks for charity, he was easily recognised on the field by his dreadlocked hair style.^{[citation needed]} Smith is the older brother of Harlequins RL and Tongan international Tyrone Smith.

Off the field, George Smith takes part in many coaching clinics for children and is the current face of Australian version of Electronic Arts' video game Rugby 2005. In 2006 Smith chopped off his dreadlocks for charity. He told the Daily Telegraph "I wouldn't expect much for the (dreadlocks), but anything for the charity would be great.". They were given to a charity for younger people with cancer.

In the game Rugby 06 by EA Sports, Smith plays for the ACT Brumbies, and also represents Australia as a Flanker (and if necessary a number 8). His character in the game has star status, which is symbolised by a star overhanging his head.

• 2000 Japan, France & UK
• 2001 UK & Europe
• 2002 Argentina, UK & Europe
• 2003 Rugby World Cup (Aus)
• 2004 UK & France
• 2005 UK & France

• Wallabies Profile
• Brumbies Profile

• Wallaby Team of the Decade
• The Wallabies
• The Brumbies
• Super 14

1. ^ "Super 14 Awards - Congratulations", The Rugby Union Players' Association. 
2. ^ "The John Eales Medal", The Rugby Union Players' Association, 2006-08-31. Retrieved on 2006-08-31. 
3. ^ "Smith crowned player of series", Fox News, 2006-06-01. Retrieved on 2006-08-31. 
4. ^ http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22074840-23217,00.html
5. ^ http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/21/sports/AS-SPT-RUGU-Super-14-Australian-Awards.php

Preceded by Inaugural award

John Eales Medal 2002

Succeeded by Phil Waugh

v • d • e Australia squad - 2007 Rugby World Cup
Forwards	Baxter • Freier • Hardman • Elsom • Shepherdson • Dunning • Palu • McMeniman • Lyons • Moore • Hoiles • Smith • Sharpe • Vickerman • Chisholm • Waugh (vc) • Holmes
Backs	Cordingley • Barnes • Giteau • Gregan (vc) • Ashley-Cooper • Larkham • Latham • Mortlock (c) • Huxley • Gerrard • Mitchell • Staniforth • Tuqiri
Coach	Connolly

v • d • e Australia squad - 2003 Rugby World Cup
Forwards	Baxter • Cannon • Cockbain • Croft • Darwin • Dunning • Giffin • Harrison • Lyons • Paul • Roe • Smith • Sharpe • Vickerman • Young • Waugh (vc)
Backs	Burke • Flatley • Giteau • Gregan (c) • Grey • Larkham • Latham • Mortlock • Roff • Rogers • Sailor • Turinui • Tuqiri • Whitaker
Coach	Jones