By George, it’s all over

Flanker calls it a day after two glorious decades

SO good was George Smith in his prime as one of the world’s great flankers that the Springboks put a bounty on his head or rather his dreadlocks.

The best images of Smith bouncing out of tackles, making them, masterfully thieving ball at rucks and his handling touches were always best captured under a mass of wild hair.

Somehow, those dreadlocks flying every which way summed up his essence as an openside flanker whirling into every contest he could find on the field.

Smith only wore those dreadlocks until a cut for charity in 2006 which also tells you about his incredible durability through two decades.

As was once said about cricket great Allan Border, he was in the twilight of his career for longer than most are lucky to have careers.

When he announced his retirement yesterday, there were fresh gasps of awe that he really had reached 38 and more than 450 top-tier games for clubs and country.

His playing career may have ended at England’s Bristol Bears, his eighth club, but he’s already got the next step mapped out as defence coach for Suntory in Japan.

“It’s been an absolute privilege to play professionally for the past 20 years,” Smith said.

“Rugby has given me so much. The dreams that I had as a young bloke, I’m fortunate to say that I’ve lived them and experienced so much more during my time.”

Smith joked that he was surprised that Brumbies coach Eddie Jones even offered him a contract at 19 in 1999.

“The day I rocked up to sign my first Brumbies contract with dreadlocked hair, board shorts and thongs, I think back and shake my head as to why he didn’t just turn me away right there and then,” he said.

By 2006, the Springboks offered 100 rand to any player who could wrench a dreadlock from Smith and bring it back to the dressing room at Suncorp Stadium as a trophy. Centre De Wet Barry did just that.