The Seattle Seawolves will have Juan-Philip Smith for the second year of a three-year contract that has him with the team through the 2024 Major League Rugby season. The 28-year-old scrumhalf/flyhalf (29 in March) is 6’2″ and 205lbs.
JP played 583 minutes in 19 matches as a starter and scored 32 points (4 tries, 3 conversions, 2 penalty goals) for the Seawolves in 2022.
JP played 1021 minutes, starting 14 matches, and scored one try while playing flyhalf and wing in addition to his normal scrumhalf position.
JP started all five matches for the Seawolves during the COVID-19-shortened season, playing all 400 minutes and scoring two tries. In November he played for the Ohio Aviators 10s in the World Tens Series in Bermuda.
During the 2019 MLR season, Smith played969 minutes in all 18 matches, scoring 6 tries. He had 51 ball carries for 352 meters, 4 line breaks, 5 tackle breaks, 5 offloads, 124 tackles, and 88 kicks for 2,819 meters.
Smith was born in Bloemhof, South Africa, and attended Queen’s College in Queenstown before attending the University of Pretoria.
He played youth rugby with the Border Bulldogs from 2010-2011. He represented them on the Under-16s during Grant Khomo Week and for the Under-18s during Craven Week.
He then played with the Blue Bulls from 2013-2015 being selected for the 2014 Vodacom Cup but being unable to play due to his selection for the South Africa Under-20s. In 2014 he played for the Under-19s and in 2015 for the Under-21 in the Provincial Championship, as well as in the 2015 Vodacom Cup.
In 2015 he played amateur rugby with the UP Tuks and then made 4 appearances with the Senior side Bull Bulls. In the 2016-2017 season, it was on to the Free State XV where he made 20 appearances and scored 8 points. In 2017 he also played with the Free State Cheetahs 6 times.
In 2018 he played with the PRO 14 Rugby Southern Kings twice and then moved to the Eastern Province Elephants in 8 matches.
Smith joined the Seattle Seawolves in 2019 and his kicking and leadership since then were a welcome addition.
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