# Kwagga Smith

Albertus Stephanus 'Kwagga' Smith (born 11 June 1993) is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the Shizuoka Blue Revs in Japan Rugby League One and the South Africa national team. His regular position is flanker.
He was a member of the South Africa Sevens team that won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics and the South Africa teams that won the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups.

## Rugby career
### Youth

He played school rugby for HTS Middelburg in Mpumalanga, which led to his inclusion in the Pumas U18 squads that played at the Craven Week competitions in 2010 and 2011.
After school, he moved to Johannesburg, where he joined the Golden Lions. He started in nine matches for the Golden Lions U19 side during the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring four tries.
He was selected in the South Africa U20 side that played at the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship in France. His only appearance in the pool stages came when he came played off the bench in the 97–0 victory over the United States. He didn't play in their matches against England and France, but he did return to the bench for their semi-final clash with Wales. He came on in the first half and scored one of South Africa's two tries in the match, but it wasn't enough to prevent them losing the match 18–17 as Wales progressed to the final. Smith was again named in their final match of the tournament, the third place play-off against New Zealand, and once again scored a try for the Baby Boks to help the team to a 41–34 victory, clinching third place in the competition.
He returned to domestic action later in 2013, making ten appearances for the Golden Lions U21 side in the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring four tries in the process. He also played for the same team in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship.

### Sevens

At the end of 2013, Smith joined the South Africa Sevens side. He made his debut on the international IRB Sevens World Series circuit at the 2013 South Africa Sevens event, helping his side to victory in their home tournament for just the second time ever, beating New Zealand in the Cup final. He appeared in six legs of the 2013–14 IRB Sevens World Series, following up the event in South Africa with appearances in the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, Scotland and London legs of the tournament.
He was selected in the squad that played at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and helped his side to a 17–12 victory over a New Zealand team that won the previous four consecutive tournaments.

### Golden Lions

He was included in the Golden Lions first team squad for the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division and was named on the bench for their Round Two match against the Eastern Province Kings in Johannesburg.

### 2016 Summer Olympics

Smith was included in a 12-man squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He was named in the starting line-up for their first match in Group B of the competition against Spain, with South Africa winning the match 24–0.

### Yamaha Júbilo

In July 2018, Smith joined Japanese side Yamaha Júbilo for the 2018–19 Top League season.

### South Africa

Smith was named in the South Africa squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Smith played two matches, against Namibia and Canada in the pool stage, starting both at openside flanker. South Africa went on to win the tournament, defeating England in the final.
In 2021, Smith was part of the South Africa squad for the tests against the British and Irish Lions and Georgia. In the game against Georgia, he scored his first test try, playing as 8th man. He went on to feature for the rest of 2021, including the 2021 Rugby Championship and 2021 Autumn Nations Series, predominantly at the blindside flank and also number 8.

## Honours

Lions
* 2015 Currie Cup winner
South Africa
* 2019 Rugby Championship winner
* 2019 Rugby World Cup winner
* 2021 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa winner
* 2023 Rugby World Cup winner
* 2024 Rugby Championship winner
South Africa 7's
* 2014 Commonwealth Games Gold medal
* 2016 Olympics Bronze medal