Gert Smal is currently the forwards coach at Japanese Top League team Toyota Verblitz.
14 Facts About Gert Smal
1.
2.
Gert Smal was a flanker with Western Transvaal from 1980 to 1983 then played with Stellenbosch University from 1984 to 1985.
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Gert Smal had a limited international playing career due to the international boycott of South African sports teams because of the apartheid regime which ended in 1992.
4.
Gert Smal captained South African Gazelles in 1984.
5.
Gert Smal turned out for the Springboks against the touring New Zealand Cavaliers in 1986, against a World Invitation XV in 1989 and a Serge Blanco World XV team against France.
6.
Gert Smal represented Western Province between 1984 and 1993 and the South African Defence Forces in 1986 and 1987.
7.
In 2004, Gert Smal was appointed to the South African team management as assistant coach to Jake White, during which time the Springboks won the Tri-Nations championship in 2004 before winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
8.
When Jake White was replaced by Peter de Villiers as head coach following the world cup in 2007, Gert Smal offered to develop rugby in the Eastern Cape but was turned down by the South African Rugby Union.
9.
In June 2008, Gert Smal was appointed forwards coach to the Irish National team under Declan Kidney.
10.
Gert Smal's assistance was key in Ireland's victory over the 2007 World Champions and Tri Nations 2009 champions South Africa during the 2009 Autumn Internationals where he taught the Irish pack some Afrikaans so that they could read the opposition's line out calls.
11.
Gert Smal was forced to miss the remainder of the 2012 Six Nations Championship after an eye condition struck him.
12.
In 2014, Gert Smal was appointed the Director of Rugby atWestern Province.
13.
Gert Smal then left Western Province in 2019 to join Jake White at Japanese club team Toyota Verblitz where he is currently the forwards coach.
14.
Gert Smal is married to Patti and they have two children, a son Dean and daughter Tamarin.