Smith to hone Boks’ kicking

Franco Smith has been tasked to help the Springboks with their kicking skills.

Smith and Golden Lions defence coach JP Ferreira were last week added to Allister Coetzee's management team. While it was widely believed that Smith would help out with the team's backline play and skills development, Coetzee assigned him to assist kicking specialist Louis Koen ahead of their four-game tour of Europe.

Bok assistant coach Johann van Graan on Wednesday confirmed Smith's role was set out following string of meetings between Coetzee and the rest of the coaching panel.

'We have had some in-depth discussion the last few days about roles,' said Van Graan. 'Franco will mostly handle the kicking game and bring in one or two new ideas, which have the buy-in of the entire team.'

Van Graan added that all the coaches have integrated roles because the game has changed in recent years.

'You can't look at just defence, just attack, just kicking and just line-outs – everything works together. Allister makes all the calls and he has set out the roles and the coaches have bought into it.'

Photo: Gerhard Steenkamp/BackpagePix

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Mariette Adams