Kwagga Smith's wild ride to becoming the Springboks' ultimate game changer

When Kwagga Smith was at school, he once wrote his real name, Albertus, on a test paper. His teacher, confused, asked the class: “Who is the new kid in the class?”

This should come as no great surprise, because “Albertus” was already known to the world as Kwagga, even before he was born.

Kwagga — widely regarded as arguably the best impact player in world rugby — explained how he got his name at a Springbok press conference on Wednesday, ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship match against Argentina in Durban.

“My brother actually gave me the nickname the night I was born,” the 32-year-old said. “It was on the farm in Mpumalanga, and he was with my grandparents. These American hunters were asking them to ask my boet what his brother’s name was going to be.

“My brother had grown up on the farm and had no idea what my name was going to be, but he knew every animal there was. He said my name would be Kwagga” — after the antelope related to the zebra, now extinct.

Many years later, Kwagga is celebrated by Springbok fans for his effervescent displays towards the end of Test matches. The loose forward has often scored critical tries to seal games, as he did two weeks ago when the Boks smashed the All Blacks 43-10.

“For me, it is about serving the team, whether I start or come off the bench,” Smith said. “It’s about making every opportunity count, because you never know when you are putting on that green jersey for the last time.

“I think what is good for me is that I get decent time off the bench. It is not just the last ten minutes — I get at least half an hour, and that allows me to get into it.

“So every opportunity I get, I do my best, serve the team, and also enjoy it, because we are not getting younger. I must use every opportunity and enjoy it — that is why I play the game.”

Smith said the Springbok pack is preparing for a battle against a well-balanced Argentina unit.

“The Pumas loose forwards are very mobile, they get around the park and make a lot of turnovers,” Smith observed. “Their hooker is also a good turnover merchant and makes tackles.

“In general, they have a good, physical pack. They run hard, and they are a combination of different types of players. That is what makes them competitive.”

The 32-year-old added that he has tracked the rise of the South Americans closely.

“I started playing against them when they were the Jaguares in Super Rugby. They did not have the best start, but improved steadily and were eventually playing in the playoffs and doing well.

“The national side has grown a lot over the last two years,” Smith continued. “Now they have a bunch of young guys who have come through their system — they have played a long time together, and they combine well with a core of seasoned players. That makes for a dangerous combination.”