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Smith`s forgotten record

Wednesday 27th August 2008

Unsung hero: Smith has his sights set on 100 Test caps

Such was the commotion and fall-out from Australia's 27-15 victory over South Africa on Saturday that many failed to notice George Smith's latest milestone.

Smith, who is still just 28 years old, bagged his ninetieth cap on Saturday and in doing so became the most-capped flanker in world rugby.

The record, which Smith was unaware of, had previously been held by France's Olivier Magne.

"I wasn't aware of it until after the game," Smith told AAP

"You don't play the game to reach these milestones but it was nice news to receive after the game and to surpass a great player like Olivier Magne is a fantastic achievement.

"I've got plenty of time and plenty of games ahead of me."

Alongside New Zealand's Richie McCaw the Wallaby flank is regarded as one of the finest exponents of breakdown play in world rugby. Which would explain why he gets asked about the topic so often.

"That's a question that comes up every week," he noted before giving his weekly answer.

"The breakdown's an important part of the game so it will definitely be an area that we will take notice of."

The breakdown is an area the South African media have talked up over the past few weeks, given that both McCaw and Smith have outclassed their back row in that department.

With South Africa not fielding a specialist 'fetcher' it is small wonder that Smith enjoyed such dominance at the breakdown in Durban.

That said he can understand why the Springboks are not using a recognised openside.

"It can work in different ways for you, you can have faster flankers in terms of reaction time at the breakdown, then a bigger physical guy in terms of ball carrying ability," Smith added.

"So it works differently for different teams and I guess it works around the way the team is coached as well."

Smith could go on answering similar questions into a 100th Test next year, a mark he admits he is aiming for.

"It's a possibility that I can reach that mark," he said.

"My body's feeling really good at the moment and I'm enjoying the football that I am playing so hopefully if the time comes I'd like to make that mark."