Smit eyes another World Cup
Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:59
Standard bearer: Springbok captain John Smit
Victorious Springbok captain John Smit has not given up on the idea of leading his country at a second World Cup.
Speaking after his team's disappointing 9-28 loss in the third and final Test to the British and Irish Lions, Smit reflected on what the future holds for him.
Smit - who has already won a Tri-Nations, World Cup and now a 2-1 Lions series victory as Bok skipper, will become the first captain to successfully defend a World Cup crown should he lead his country in New Zealand in 2011.
"I'll just take it one year at a time," the 31-year-old Smit said at the weekend, when quizzed about what the future holds for him.
"It depends how well the body holds and how well I can play for the remainder of the years that I have," he said, adding: "It has been a privilege to be part of this [Bok] set-up for quite some time. Every week for me has been pretty special, so this has been a great [Lions] series and there's so much more, not only for me as an individual, but for this team to achieve."
He said, as disappointing as the third Test loss was at the weekend, the Lions series victory - following 26-21 and 28-25 victories in the first two Test - was great for this group of players.
For now they are looking ahead just to the next goal, winning another Tri-Nations, to add to their 2004 victory.
"There's a big Tri-Nations coming up and this team is young enough to go through to the next World Cup," Smit said.
Asked if he wanted to be part of the next World Cup, New Zealand 2001, he quipped: "Sure, depends if you want a 40-year-old captain.
"Time will tell, the body feels good for now and we'll see how it goes.
"I'm committed to play till the end 2010, which is not too far off the World Cup, so we'll see how it goes."
He spoke of the "mixed emotions" of losing the last Test, having already won the series.
"We know we lost, but we have a series behind our name.
"I think the Lions were all over us. We will look at that, learn from that and fill the gaps that a guy like Bakkies [Botha] left and make sure we've got a better balance going forward."
By Jan de Koning, on the Bok beat
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