Last Friday night, our own scrum-half JP Smith stepped onto the pitch at Starfire Stadium for his 100th Major League Rugby game. He’s only the second player in MLR history to reach that mark, and all were with the Seattle Seawolves.
It started with a ball behind the posts.
Long before JP Smith became one of Major League Rugby’s most consistent scrum-halves, before he wore the Eagles jersey, before the championships, and long before his name was etched into Seawolves history with his 100th MLR cap, he was just a young boy in Queenstown, South Africa. He spent weekends watching his dad play club rugby, kicking a ball around with friends. No plan, no pressure, just a love for the game.
That love took him further than he ever imagined.
After playing provincial rugby in high school and catching the attention of then-Springboks and Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer, Smith joined the Blue Bulls at 16. He advanced through their age-grade programs and went on to compete in the Vodacom and Currie Cups before moving to the Cheetahs. But with limited minutes and growing frustration, he began to look elsewhere. France fell through. Japan didn’t call.
Then came a message from an old friend. “Come to America,” said Riekert Hattingh. “There’s a new league starting. We’re building something here.”
Smith took the leap. In 2019, he joined the Seattle Seawolves.
Building Something New
At first, it was just supposed to be a season or two. Get some experience, try something different. But Seattle stuck.
“It was refreshing,” Smith said. “Coming from a cutthroat environment to something that felt fun again - where you could just play and rediscover why you loved the game.”
In that first season, the Seawolves lost their coach mid-year. The players took over. They made their own calls, set their own strategies, and then, they won the final.
That experience lit a spark - not just for Smith, but for the whole team. And when he told one of the owners he didn’t know what to do during the long offseason, it led to something even more unexpected.
“He bought a few merino wool sheep,” Smith laughed. “Next thing I knew, I was helping run a farm.”
Since then, Seattle has become home. He brought over his wife and started a family. And season after season, he kept showing up in green and blue.
The Century Mark
On Friday, April 17th, JP Smith became only the second player in MLR history to reach 100 appearances. Smith has started 90 of those games, and his 100th came in a 28-22 win over the Chicago Hounds. And to top it all off, every game was with the Seattle Seawolves. It’s a milestone that speaks not just to talent, but to consistency. Trust. Resilience.
“There were highs and lows,” he said. “But I always tried to show up, do the work, and stay ready.”
Smith has been a part of nearly every era of Seawolves rugby. He’s seen championships, coaching changes, pandemics, rebuilds, and runs no one expected. He’s played alongside MLR veterans, international stars, and rookies fresh out of school. Through it all, he’s remained a steady presence.
“Doing it all with one club makes it even more special,” he said. “Seattle believed in me, and I wanted to return that.”
Faith, Growth, and Giving Back
Smith doesn’t shy away from his past. He remembers being 19, signing his first pro contract, caught up in the hype of it all. The flash. The perks. The fall.
“It humbled me,” he said. “It made me rely on my faith. It reminded me of what really matters.”
He talks about that time now with clarity, as something he needed to go through. A lesson in focus, and a reminder that the game is a teacher.
Today, that mindset guides how he plays, how he lives, and how he gives back. Smith has become a familiar face at community rugby events in Seattle, introducing the sport to kids who’ve never touched a rugby ball before. And he knows the impact those moments can have.
“One of my dad’s teammates gave me his socks when I was a kid,” he said. “I never forgot that. That’s what rugby is. You pass it on.”
Moments That Stick
Ask Smith to name a favorite moment, and he doesn’t go straight to a trophy.
He talks about the playoff push no one believed in - the season where they clawed their way back into contention, beat Houston and San Diego on the road, and made it to the final.
He talks about the people - the teammates who came and went, the memories built in locker rooms and on long bus rides.
And of course, he talks about Starfire Stadium.
“The fans here are different,” he said. “They care; they show up. Even when we’re not winning, they’re loud and proud. That matters to us.”
Looking Ahead
At 29, Smith still has plenty of rugby left. But he knows the clock doesn’t stop.
Between matches, he works the farm. He spends time with his wife and new baby. He thinks about what’s next. Coaching, maybe - giving back to the sport that’s given him so much.
“Rugby taught me discipline. It taught me resilience. It gave me friendships and memories I’ll carry for life,” he said. “I’ve been lucky. I’ve had a great run.”
And on a cool night in Seattle, surrounded by teammates, family, and fans, JP Smith ran onto the pitch for the 100th time.
A stunningly impressive milestone for him. A deeply proud moment for the Seawolves. And for all, a reminder of what can happen when talent meets heart - and stays the course.
