Smith played a total of 32 Tests for Scotland, and scored 24 tries, which still gives him a share of the Scottish record with Tony Stanger. Smith's record for international tries was not beaten until 1987 when it was overtaken by Australian David Campese. Remarkably, Smith's first 17 tries were scored in only 14 Test matches. His 24 career tries in the Five Nations – now Six Nations – remained a record until first equalled and then surpassed by Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll in 2011. Smith spent much of his playing career playing in the backline with GPS Macpherson; 21 of Smith's 24 Scotland tries were scored outside the three-quarter Macpherson. When Smith scored four tries against France in 1925, Macpherson contributed to all those scores.