DRUK ADRÉ

BARNSTORMING Stormers lock Adré Smith looks set to reach the special milestone of 50 caps if he runs out in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash against Ospreys innie Kaap.

Smith made his return to the Stormers fold in last week’s 35-0 opening-round win against Leinster at Cape Town Stadium, after spending the second half of last season playing in Japan for Toyota Verblitz.

The former Hoërlandbouskool Oakdale learner put in a rampaging performance on attack and defence, showcasing some of the new skills he learned from former All Black coaches Steve Hansen and Ian Foster at Verblitz.

Of his time in Japan and learning from the Kiwi gurus, Smith wysed the Daily Voice: “I learned a lot more about myself as a player from Steve and Ian. My role here at the Stormers was usually to deliver impact. But they saw me differently and told me: ‘As a South African, physicality is part of your DNA, but you must learn to do other things that does not require you to just bash players out of the way.’”

And after adding some wax on wax off skills to his game, Smith wants to put pressure on his fellow locks Salmaan Moerat and Ruben van Heerden for a regular starting berth.

The second rower has set himself the huge target of getting noticed by Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus, and said: “Look getting an opportunity to play for the Stormers is great, but I want to start games more regularly.

“If I don’t get to start games then I am not going to get to where I want to be and that is to wear the green and gold one day.

“It is one of the goals I have set myself after my stint in Japan and if I am going to just get opportunities playing off the wood then I am not going to reach that dream.”

With Stormers captain Moerat still unavailable due to injury, Smith will be looking to solidify himself and make sure he empties the tank on Saturday.