Northern | US

Giant ex-NFL hopeful George Smith exits Northampton for France

George Smith of Northampton Saints poses for a portrait during the squad photocall for the 2024-2025 Gallagher Premiership Rugby season at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens on August 29, 2024 in Northampton, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

From the English Premiership to the French Pro D2 is just one step for 23-year-old English second-row George Smith, who has just taken that leap. He arrives at USON Nevers as a medical joker until the end of the season.

ADVERTISEMENT

“In September, he was loaned to Bedford in the Championship, where he played nine league matches (scoring one try) and three cup matches, the last of which was on January 24. He’s therefore in good shape and will be ready to go soon,” the club said in a press release on the morning of February 3.

Seeking more game time, Smith [listed at 6’9, 136kg] joined the Saints in June 2024, but only made one appearance. Yet his arrival had hinted at great potential, as Northampton’s director of rugby suggested.

Video Spacer

Lomu – The Lost Tapes – Jonah’s family & discipline | RPTV

Featuring never-before-seen footage, Jonah Lomu shares his story and how he escaped gang violence to become the planet’s most iconic rugby player. Watch the full documentary on RugbyPass TV and via the RugbyPass app

Download now

Video Spacer

Lomu – The Lost Tapes – Jonah’s family & discipline | RPTV

Featuring never-before-seen footage, Jonah Lomu shares his story and how he escaped gang violence to become the planet’s most iconic rugby player. Watch the full documentary on RugbyPass TV and via the RugbyPass app

“George’s superpower is that he’s 6’11” and can move extremely quickly,” enthused Phil Dowson. “He’s incredibly physical. When he arrived, we tested him and his power per kilogram was exceptional—the best we’ve seen in years.

“George has an unusual background, without a traditional academic path. He stood out with Coventry in the Premiership Rugby Cup—most notably against Saracens—and even scored a try against Gloucester.”

However, this little marvel didn’t seem to find his place within the team. As a result, Nevers is taking full advantage!

No one yet knows if he’ll be named in the lineup for the Round 19 match against Provence Rugby on Friday, February 7.

ADVERTISEMENT

RugbyPass App Download

News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!


Whether you’re looking for somewhere to track upcoming fixtures, a place to watch live rugby or an app that shows you all of the latest news and analysis, the RugbyPass rugby app is perfect.

ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 6 hours ago
New report details source of Ardie Savea's All Blacks frustrations

Yeah it’s hard to be critical of Razor but of choices in his first year of the loosies he constantly played Ardie at 8. It would seem that was always the plan and that Hoskins was surplas to requirements (7, with Dalton then Cane, as was fairly happy with but understand the calls to drop Cane for his last test, along with TJ, and 6 was shared around nicely I thought) and he didn’t have the alround game of Ardie to simply overtake him at 8 (and use Ardie elsewhere). Of course he did that exact thing next year, too late for HS. Then last year 7 was fine if though the same problem was brought about by using Ardie (always leaves a component of a back three missing) there so often stopping Dalton from getting opportunities. At 6 Parker just had one or two too many games for me but 8 was shuffled around nicely, even if I don’t know why Lakai was thought to be the key there.

Of course a lot of rotation was brought about by, you guesed it, injury, still. Now to be fair to Razor, in reality we have no idea if he had to manage Ardie this way, based on NZRs desires with his contract (we have seen them move heaven and earth to retain him), and if he benched him often whether that would have caused him to leave or not. Or even that Hoskins would have accepted a jersey unless it was with a single digit on it, and a regular pick, as he had had to work his way back to the team without a big bump in his contract (of loosing AB selection early on) of other people his standing, so he also might have still put his family and therefor more over the jersey.



...

63 Go to comments
Close Panel
Close Panel

Edition & Time Zone

{{current.name}}
Set time zone automatically
{{selectedTimezoneTitle}} (auto)
Choose a different time zone
Close Panel

Editions

Close Panel

Change Time Zone

Close
ADVERTISEMENT