Double World Cup winner Kwagga Smith signs three-year Bulls deal

Double Rugby World Cup winner Kwagga Smith has signed a three-year deal with the Bulls, the Pretoria club confirmed on Sunday morning, ending weeks of speculation about the Springbok loose forward’s next move (The Citizen, IOL).

The 33-year-old, who can play at No 6 and No 8, joins the Bulls after his contract with Japan’s Shizuoka Blue Revs ended by mutual consent earlier in October, closing an eight-year stint in Japan that began when he joined Yamaha Júbilo in 2018 (The Citizen). He has won more than 60 Test caps for South Africa and was part of the squads that lifted the World Cup in 2019 and 2023.

Smith is still recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in May, when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus while playing for the Blue Revs. He has been medically cleared to return to full-contact rugby by late December, putting him on track for a Bulls debut early in 2027 (The Citizen).

The move reunites Smith with Bulls coach Johan Ackermann, who coached him at the Lions, where Smith won the Currie Cup in 2015 before moving to Japan. “Wherever he goes, he makes a difference, and I look forward to him contributing both on and off the field,” Ackermann said. Bulls chief executive Edgar Rathbone said Smith’s work rate and fearlessness were “exactly what we want in Bulls colours” (The Citizen).

“I miss the rugby, but I’m feeling good,” Smith said. “My wife is pregnant, due in January, so the timing of joining the Bulls is perfect. Playing under Johan Ackermann [previously] was one of my best experiences. I’m looking forward to getting back by early next year.” (The Citizen)