Dylan Smith (rugby union)

Dylan Thomas Smith (born (1994-02-26)26 February 1994 in Durban, South Africa) is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with Super Rugby side the Lions and Currie Cup side Golden Lions XV.^[1] His regular position is loosehead prop.

Career

He first earned a provincial call-up when he was selected to represent the Golden Lions at the 2011 Under-18 Craven Week, the premier high school rugby union tournament in South Africa, when still at Under-17 level. He was once again selected in the squad for the 2012 tournament, held in Port Elizabeth, and also called up into the South Africa Schools squad, although he failed to make any appearances for them.

After finishing school, he joined the Golden Lions Academy and he was the first-choice loosehead prop for the Golden Lions U19 team that participated in the 2013 Under-19 Provincial Championship Group A. Smith played in eleven of their twelve matches during the pool stages as they finished in second spot on the log. He started their 27–25 semi-final victory over Sharks U19^[2] and also started the final, where their trans-Jukskei rivals, Blue Bulls U19 ran out 35–23 winners.^[3]

At the start of 2014, he was included in the Golden Lions squad for the 2014 Vodacom Cup. He made his first class debut by playing off the bench in their Round Two match against the Falcons, with the Golden Lions winning that match 23–22.^[4] Two more substitute appearances followed against the Blue Bulls^[5] and Griquas^[6] before he started his first senior match, a 110–0 demolition of the Limpopo Blue Bulls in Polokwane.^[7] One more substitute appearance followed in their final group match against the Pumas,^[8] which resulted in the Golden Lions finishing in fourth spot to qualify for the quarter finals. Smith started the 27–20 quarter final victory over the Sharks XV in Durban,^[9] the 16–15 semi-final win against Gauteng rivals the Blue Bulls^[10] and also started the final, where the Golden Lions could not prevent Griquas winning the match 30–6 to win the competition for the fifth time.^[11]

Smith started ten matches for the Golden Lions U21 in the 2014 Under-21 Provincial Championship. He scored tries for them in their matches against Border U21^[12] and Western Province U21^[13] to help them finish third. However, Smith ended on the losing side against the Blue Bulls U21, going down 19–23 in the semi-final.^[14]

He was the first-choice loosehead prop for the Golden Lions during the 2015 Vodacom Cup competition.

References