Brumbies centre Andrew Smith has announced his retirement from rugby, ending a career that saw him also play for Munster and Montpellier.
Although he did not win major honours, Smith played in both a Super Rugby final and a PRO12 final, with the former a fond memory for him.
“The Super Rugby Final in 2013 [versus the Chiefs in Waikato] was probably the highlight for me,” he told the Brumbies’ official website.
“We had a really good run through to the finals, won some amazing games away from home but unfortunately lost the final in pretty tough circumstances. We were in a position to win that game but just lost it late on, but it was a really successful year under Jake White.
“We had the belief we were going to win it that year and to lose that late was really disappointing.”
Another memorable moment for Smith was beating the British & Irish Lions in a Brumbies jersey, something that will live with him forever.
“Winning against the British & Irish Lions is probably the game I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” the centre continued. “It was just a freezing night in Canberra, to beat that team was incredible. We thought we had a chance that night actually. If you look at the side we picked there were a lot of guys who went on to play for the Wallabies, so we had plenty of belief that we could win the game.”
The veteran knows though the time is right to hang up his boots after 73 Super Rugby matches and six tries to his name for the Brumbies.
“Mentally and physically, I’ve given a lot to rugby and I just felt it was time,” he said. “Also with my family, the timing was right to move on. I’ve loved every minute of it, now it’s time for a new path, a new direction. I might take part in some touch football, some AFL 9s maybe, Sydney will be our home, so we’ll see.”
He concluded: “We love Canberra, we’ve raised three kids here, loved our time here. The support over the years has been amazing. So many friendly people, it’s always been great to talk to people after games, in the streets. The Brumbies community are very friendly, very knowledgeable. They’ve made my time here very special.”