John Smit

John Smit

John William Smit (born 3 April 1978 in Pietersburg, South Africa) is the 50th captain of the South African national rugby union team, the Springboks, and currently playing professionally in England with Saracens. He has played most of his career as a hooker, but played twice for the Springboks off the bench as a prop prior to the South Africa coaching staff's decision to use him as a tighthead prop for the 2008 end of year Tests. On 22 November 2008, he surpassed prop Os du Randt as the most-capped forward in Springboks history. He retired from international rugby following the 2011 Rugby World Cup as the most-capped player in South African history, with 111 appearances.

While still active at club level, Smit was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame on 24 October 2011, alongside all other Rugby World Cup-winning captains and head coaches from the tournament's inception in 1987 through 2007 (minus the previously inducted John Eales).

Smit attended Pretoria Boys High School where he was head prefect in 1996 and played for the school's First XV from 1994 to 1996.