News

Smit joins Boks after mammoth trip

July 01 2008

Springbok captain John Smit completed a marathon flight from France to New Zealand on Tuesday, joining his team-mates for a tough training session shortly after his arrival on Kiwi soil.

Smit joined the South African team in the capital after he played for Clermont in the French Top 14 Final against Toulouse over the weekend.

A large media contingent greeted the Bok captain when he finally made his way through the domestic arrivals terminal, having completing the last leg of his exhaustive trip from Paris via London and Sydney to Wellington.

And Smit told reporters New Zealand would be an extremely difficult team to beat on home turf despite the absence of their inspirational captain Richie McCaw.

"I can't think ever in my lifetime that the All Blacks have been vulnerable at home, so I wouldn't subscribe to that," he said.

"We came pretty close in the past but never managed to seal it in the end, when we needed to do so. On Saturday you will see two top sides battling it out in a truly great rugby rivalry."