Full name | Gregory James Smith | ||
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Date of birth | July 14, 1974 | ||
Place of birth | Waikato | ||
Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Weight | 106 kg (230 lb) | ||
Rugby union career | |||
Playing career | |||
Position | Hooker | ||
Professional / senior clubs | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
Swansea | |||
Provincial/State sides | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
Waikato | |||
Super Rugby | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
Chiefs | |||
National team(s) | |||
Years | Club / team | Caps | (points) |
1995-2003 | Fiji | 53 | (10) |
Gregory James Smith (born 14 July 1974 in Waikato, New Zealand)[1] is a former Fijian rugby union footballer. He played as a hooker.
Smith is 1.82m tall and weighs 106 kg. He was born and raised in New Zealand but he qualified to play for Fiji because his father was born in Fiji. He was first selected for Fiji by former coach Brad Johnstone on the recommendation of Waikato's John Boe.
He toured the UK with the Fiji team in 1995 and he made his debut against Wales which Fiji lost by 21-22. He joined the Waikato Rugby Union after that and he made it into the Chiefs squad for the Super 12 competition. He played for the Chiefs for three (3) years before leaving New Zealand and going to Europe to play for the Swansea club in Wales. He returned a year later to play in the NPC match against Auckland but lost in the final. A neck injury kept him out of the 2001 tour to Italy and France and then a foot injury saw him miss the 2003 Rugby World Cup qualifiers in June and July 2002 and he also missed the test against Australia and Argentina but he recovered in time for the 2003 Rugby World Cup and he was made captain of the Fiji team
Smith also attended Waikato University from 1993–1996 and was friends with Robert Diver.
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