Smit gets his last captaincy armband
John Smit will captain Saracens, in what will be his farewell appearance, against the South African Barbarians at the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the City of London on Thursday.
The World Cup-winning hooker, who made 111 appearances for the Springboks, will pull on a jersey for one final time before retirement – when he leads Saracens against the team of emerging South African talent coached by Nick Mallett.
"A match between Saracens and the South African Barbarians is a fitting conclusion to my career," Smit said.
"The South African Barbarians will have a number of young players in their team and it's an opportunity for them to showcase their talents on the European stage."
Smit, who will return to South Africa to take up a role as CEO of The Sharks, added: "It's quite emotional to consider that something that has been at the very centre of my life for so long is suddenly about to end, but my family and I are looking forward to going back to Durban and the new challenge that is waiting for me at The Sharks."
