Force to sign Hurricanes flyer

**travelling_gerry** · 23-10-10, 16:37

Crowd favourite David Smith excited many with a series of strong performances in 2009, grabbing his chance for regular game time on the wing in the absence of Hosea Gear who missed much of the season with a knee injury.

Returning in 2010, he was the Hurricanes’ leading try-scorer with seven tries, despite being in the starting side in four of his 11 appearances in the Super 14. At the end of May 2010 he joined Rodney So’oialo in the Barbarians side that played England at Twickenham, scoring a try in this fixture.

Smith was previously drafted into the Hurricanes in 2007 after lighting up the Air New Zealand Cup in 2006, scoring six tries in eleven appearances in his debut season. This included an eye catching solo touchdown against the Fiji Warriors in his first game and a 60-metre chip and chase individual effort in a come- from-behind 22-22 draw with eventual champions Waikato. Both tries announced the arrival of a new sensation.

Smith’s star continued to rise in his first Super 14 season; coach Colin Cooper giving him his first cap in the season opener against the Reds, and going on to feature in the playing fifteen in seven of his 12 appearances. Not just an out-an-out speedster, he also displayed maturity in his play and impressed when coming off his wing looking for work, He scored the first of many expected Super Rugby tries against the Stormers.

**Elf1** · 23-10-10, 17:10

Originally Posted by brokendown gunfighter

Oi,I resemble that remark

Me to

**farva** · 23-10-10, 19:03

Someone on the PR website said that Smith has played in the 2008 Edinburgh sevens meaning he wouldnt ever be available for Australia - he would be a marquee signing not a development player.

http://forum.planet-rugby.com/index....06444&start=0&

**travelling_gerry** · 23-10-10, 19:48

Indeed he did play for NZ in the Edinburgh 7's in 2008. An scored a try in the final.

http://www.allblacks.com/news/8072/N...eason-in-style

But he is playing for the

and that all I care about at this stage.

Some of those clowns over at PR seem to think that a player can only ever play for the state in which they were born.

I like to look at it this way......

Not all of us can build our own car. So we rely on factories like Ford, and Holden and Toyota to build them for us then we buy them and own them. They are still a Holden, Ford or Toyota but we own them.

Same as the ARU spends millions on QRU and NSWRU to build Rugby Players.

They may still be made by QRU or NSWRU, but we own them.

Defence rests.

**Burgs** · 23-10-10, 20:16

So long as he is eligible to score bulk tries for the Force

**travelling_gerry** · 23-10-10, 20:25

Yeah....pretty sure they count on the scoreboard!

**jazza93** · 23-10-10, 21:13

David Smith is an awesome player. We could use him. Cummins on one wing, Smith on the other. With Rupia and JOC flooding amazing passes their way for 80 minutes at a time, finally we will have a complete backline, and a complete team.

I wonder how many seasons we can keep him though.

**Lee Grant** · 23-10-10, 21:34

Originally Posted by The Australian

WESTERN Force is poised to sign powerful Hurricanes winger David Smith as an emerging foreign player for next year's Super rugby series.

Although he has played 30 games for the Hurricanes since making his Super rugby debut against Queensland Reds in 2007, Smith is uncapped with the All Blacks, which means he would be eligible to play for the Wallabies in three years.

No, he won't be. He played for the Kiwi Sevens team 2 years ago; so he will never be able to play for Oz and can't be counted as an emerging foreign player.

Nevertheless as the marquee player he will be good value. He is elusive and therefore somebody the Force will need next year. The debit side is that he loses the ball on contact too much.

A very good acquisition.

**farva** · 24-10-10, 04:24

Originally Posted by travelling_gerry

Indeed he did play for NZ in the Edinburgh 7's in 2008. An scored a try in the final.

http://www.allblacks.com/news/8072/N...eason-in-style

But he is playing for the

and that all I care about at this stage.

Some of those clowns over at PR seem to think that a player can only ever play for the state in which they were born.

I like to look at it this way......

Not all of us can build our own car. So we rely on factories like Ford, and Holden and Toyota to build them for us then we buy them and own them. They are still a Holden, Ford or Toyota but we own them.

Same as the ARU spends millions on QRU and NSWRU to build Rugby Players.

They may still be made by QRU or NSWRU, but we own them.

Defence rests.

Dont get worked up by those guys, they are just trolling.

**zimeric** · 24-10-10, 06:36

as a matter of interest how many players are we fielding that have played locally for more than 4 years or were born here?

I know Sheehan was born in WA
Swanepoel and Tyrell are two others... who else?

**normie** · 24-10-10, 06:51

Originally Posted by travelling_gerry

Indeed he did play for NZ in the Edinburgh 7's in 2008. An scored a try in the final.

http://www.allblacks.com/news/8072/N...eason-in-style

But he is playing for the

and that all I care about at this stage.

Some of those clowns over at PR seem to think that a player can only ever play for the state in which they were born.

I like to look at it this way......

Not all of us can build our own car. So we rely on factories like Ford, and Holden and Toyota to build them for us then we buy them and own them. They are still a Holden, Ford or Toyota but we own them.

Same as the ARU spends millions on QRU and NSWRU to build Rugby Players.

They may still be made by QRU or NSWRU, but we own them.

Defence rests.

Well put TG. The defence has put up a strong case, probably unnecessarily though.

That sort of thinking (play for your suburb/town/shire/county/state only mentality) became null and void when sport became a money earner.

That is what state of origin is for, these simple purists who can't acknowlege the fact that it is fair for a player to go where the dough is!

**Sheikh** · 24-10-10, 07:51

Originally Posted by Lee Grant

No, he won't be. He played for the Kiwi Sevens team 2 years ago; so he will never be able to play for Oz and can't be counted as an emerging foreign player.

Nevertheless as the marquee player he will be good value. He is elusive and therefore somebody the Force will need next year. The debit side is that he loses the ball on contact too much.

A very good acquisition.

I might be mistaken, but unlike full test matches when a single game ties you to a country, don't Sevens appearances only count after a certain number?

**GIGS20** · 24-10-10, 07:52

Tyrell and long bottom, WA born and bred. Haylett-Petty was a WA schoolboy. James Stannard was signed from WA club rugby and there are several WA players in the academy, I'd like to see Melbourne being assessed by the same standard, but I bet it won't be!
Posted via Mobile Device

**BDAVEY** · 24-10-10, 10:52

Smith is quick thats all..... under the high ball he very poor thats way his career has not gone forward. He will be a bench player at the outset.... should of stayed in Wellington I feel

**Boomer** · 24-10-10, 11:33

There's some footage from the Edinburgh Sevens mentioned above - about midway through (13th minute, 17th minute, 21.40 and 24th minute)

Id there any vision footage from the S14?

He's certainly elusive. Looks like he's one of those players who always has time. Looks handy in a playmaker's role too.

Thread: Force to sign Hurricanes flyer

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Similar Threads

The First Homegrown Force Player?

Western Force Snatch Loss from Jaws of Victory

WESTERN FORCE V HURRICANES ROUND 9 PREVIEW

Force keen to sign tough Kiwi prop

Posting Permissions