'I still love playing the game, but I don't feel like I'm at the level I used to be'
Matt Smith has announced he will retire from the game at the conclusion of the 2018/19 season after 14 years of professional rugby with Leicester Tigers and will become the club’s academy head coach.
The Tigers academy graduate made his senior debut for Leicester in March 2006 against the Barbarians at Welford Road and has since gone on to make 227 appearances and score 30 tries for his hometown club.
Smith followed in the footsteps of his father, Ian ‘Dosser’ Smith, in playing for Leicester and the pair achieved the milestones of becoming the first father-and-son combination to both make 100 and 200 appearances for the club.
Smith, 33, said: “I have thought about it throughout this season and now feels like the right time for me to farewell the game as a player. I still love playing the game, but now I don’t feel like I’m at the level I used to be and it’s the time for someone else and someone younger to come in and do the job this club needs of them.
“I feel very lucky to be able to finish on my own terms, having watched good friends finish without that chance, so the thought of being able to walk off Welford Road after my last game is something I feel very fortunate to be able to do.”
Tom Croft, Ben Youngs, Manu Tuilagi and many more team-mates of Matt Smith's have joined the #TigersFamily in saying #ThanksSmithy, after it was announced earlier today that the four-time Premiership winner will retire at the end of the season.https://t.co/TtDZzXbmbd
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) May 9, 2019
Smith joined the club’s junior academy aged 14 and graduated from Oakham School, where he was a schoolmate of fellow Tigers academy member and future senior team-mate Tom Croft.
In 14 seasons in the senior squad, Smith has been a member of four Premiership and three Anglo-Welsh Cup winning sides, as well as this season acting as a coach for the academy in their successful defence of the under-18 league title.
“I am where I am today because of a lot of people, I owe each of them who have helped me along my way from school up until now for helping me get to this point,” said Smith. “My wife, Alicia, has let me live out this ridiculous life and dream for all these years and I cannot thank her enough.
“I’m so glad I’ve been able to share this journey with her, my brothers and sisters, my friends and my parents. My mum was the driving force to sending me to Oakham School and has been such an emotional support for me throughout my career, she is an incredible lady.
“Of course, I can’t thank my dad enough either. He’s always been there for advice and was the person who introduced me to Tigers, helped me fall in love with this place and taught me so much about the club.
“I watched my dad play at Welford Road and in the past few seasons, when things have been tough and I’ve approached the end of my playing days, the motivation to keep going for me has been that I could have my sons Felix and Monty do the same. I’ve had my time and lived my dream, which I am so fortunate to have been able to do, but it’s time for me to take on my next challenge.”
As the #TigersFamily say #ThanksSMITHY, the retiring club stalwart has thanked those who have helped him live out his dream for 15 years.
Read more ? https://t.co/i9n4PSgR20 pic.twitter.com/osvSktL3nM
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) May 9, 2019
Smith’s next challenge will be to take on a full-time role with the Tigers academy programme, where he has been appointed to the role of head coach for next season to work alongside academy manager Dave Wilks.
Tigers head coach Geordan Murphy said: “Matt has been a fantastic servant of this club and represents everything we want a Tigers player to be. His commitment to his team-mates and the badge has been second to none from when he first arrived as a skinny teenager to now, as a senior player in the squad.
“It was a pleasure to play alongside him and it has been just as much a pleasure to coach him, which I believe will be the case working together as he helps develop the next generation of talent in the Tigers academy.”
Tigers captain Tom Youngs added: “It’s sad to see Matt call time on his career for the whole team and myself in particular, having come through with him from when we were kids to now.
“He has given absolutely everything for this club every single time he has pulled on the shirt and is a great example of what it means to be a Tigers player.
“I’m excited for him as he moves into the next chapter of his life and the next generation of players coming through the academy will benefit hugely from having him as a mentor.”
WATCH: Matt Smith in action mentoring in The Academy, the RugbyPass documentary on the Leicester Tigers
Comments on RugbyPass
Think you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
5 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
5 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
5 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
5 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
5 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
12 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
12 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
12 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to comments