Lions flyhalf Chris Smith has emerged as their on-field general this season, driving them toi the URC play-offs for the first time.
Morné Steyn believes Chris Smith is currently the best fly-half in South African rugby, and cannot understand why the Lions playmaker was entirely overlooked for the latest Springbok alignment camp.
Speaking from the Lions’ training base in Dublin ahead of next weekend’s United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Leinster, the former Springbok No. 10 delivered a glowing assessment of the 30-year-old — who has emerged as one of the definitive figures behind the franchise’s resurgence this season.
“It’s sad for me that he’s not in the alignment camp,” Steyn said on Friday. “For me, he’s probably the best fly-half in the country at the moment, and probably one of the top in the URC as well.”
It is a significant endorsement from one of South Africa’s most accomplished and decorated fly-halves, particularly given Steyn’s long-standing relationship with Smith dating back to their time together at the Bulls. It is also a bold statement considering the scintillating form of Stormers and Springbok star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
