A test of Smith's influence: Boks vs Scots
Former Springbok Franco Smith has done a fantastic job for Scottish rugby.
Former Springbok Franco Smith has helped transform Scottish rugby from also-rans into genuine contenders since he took the reins at Glasgow Warriors.
Smith helped steer the Warriors to a maiden United Rugby Championship title and now those players will show their wares for their national team against the Springboks at Murrayfield on Sunday.
Smith admits it feels like he has a foot in each camp.
He's been speaking in the latest To The Last Drop podcast, where hosts Brenden Nel and Liam Del Carme also preview the Springboks' start to their end-of-year tour against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.
There is consensus the Springboks will face stiffer opposition than they encountered against the same team at the Rugby World Cup last year.
Scotland are capable of downing formidable opposition, but they are seeking consistency. The Springboks represent the first big scalp to cross their path this season.
Franco Smith, head coach of the URC winning Glasgow Warriors, hopes Scotland will give a better account of themselves.
Also in this episode, author and pundit Pete Burns shares his thoughts in the build-up to the game. Listen at the top of the page or directly below.
Meanwhile, SA Rugby chief executive Rian Oberholzer was in the hot seat in the last episode of To The Last Drop.
Hosts Brenden Nel and Liam Del Carme fired wide-ranging questions at the veteran rugby administrator, in particular about SA Rugby's much publicised proposed equity deal with the Ackerley Sports Group (ASG).
Oberholzer reaffirmed SA Rugby's need to enter an equity agreement, and he explained why ASG was their preferred bidder.
Oberholzer also laid bare what SA's competition structure might look like if all the balls in the air fall into place and why the country can't afford to only have four professional teams. Listen below.
About the 'To The Last Drop' podcast hosts
Liam Del Carme
Liam is one of the country's most enduring sports writers. His time in the newsrooms pre-dates rugby turning professional in the 1990s. Del Carme has been in the employ of broadsheet newspapers The Argus, Sunday Independent, This Day and Beeld, and is currently the rugby writer at The Sunday Times.
Del Carme has reported at six Rugby World Cups and around 20 Currie Cup finals.
He loves cooking and travel and is the author of the book 'WINGING IT – On tour with the Boks'. When time allows he is a television pundit and writes a regular column on timeslive.co.za under the title ‘The Worst of Times’.
Brenden Nel
Rugby has always been a passion for Brenden, so much so that he made it a career. Since first entering a newsroom at the Citizen almost three decades ago, he has written for some of the biggest titles in the world, including Rapport, the Independent (UK), The Times (UK), South China Morning Post and a host of others. Currently, he covers all things rugby for Supersport.com and has reported on no less than four World Cups, five Sevens World Cups and around 250 test matches in total.
Brenden is also the author of "Derick Hougaard - Dieware storie van Loftus se Liefling” and has a popular YouTube channel under his name. He loves nothing more when away from the game than a glass of good red wine, a good fire and spending time with his wife and four rescue dogs.