George Smith on Bristol Bears, rising to the challenge and definitely not making up the numbers

Heading into his 19th season as a professional, it’s no surprise to see questions put to Smith over how long he can keep going but the 38-year-old believes he still has something to give

Smith is relishing the challenge on his return to English rugby (Getty)

George Smith has not joined Bristol Bears this season to make up the numbers. The Wallabies great may now be closer to 40 years old than he is 35, but in his mind the challenge of rising to the most physical league in the world is one to relish.

The Australian is very much the elder statesman in Pat Lam’s squad as the pair look to spearhead Bristol’s return to the top flight, and with a number of seasoned internationals beside them in Irishman Ian Madigan, All Blacks Steven Luatua and summer signing John Afoa, there’s genuine belief that Bristol are finally here to stay.

Heading into his 19th season as a professional, it’s no surprise to see questions put to Smith over how long he can keep going at this level. The 111-cap international insists he still has at least six months in him - the length of contract that he has signed at Ashton Gate - until he will assess his options, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready for the scrapheap just yet.

“I don't have any rugby plans for after that. For me now it's the first six months and to see what happens,” said Smith. “There's no contract after that in regards to me going somewhere else, to a different country or something.

Smith is hopeful he can help keep Bristol in the Premiership (Getty Images for Gallagher)

“I think for me I'll have to see how I go in the first few months. I'm 38 and I'm still assessing whether I can compete. Sorry, I know I can compete, I just want to see how it goes.

“I guess it's an excuse, but I still know that I can compete with players, and I wouldn't have signed if I didn't know that. The easiest thing for me to do would have been to go back to Japan or Super Rugby, because that would have made me comfortable.

“This is uncomfortable, being in the Prem, and if I'm not uncomfortable I'm not ready to go.

You need a challenge. If you don't have a challenge you put yourself in a position where you're not on your toes, and you need that extra encouragement.”

Smith’s career has very much taken the well-travelled approach since his Wallabies career initially ended in 2009. Early spells with Toulon, Stade Francais and Japanese side Suntory Sungoliath earned an international recall in 2013 for the British and Irish Lions tour, and since then he has swapped stints back home with the Brumbies and Reds with short stays at Lyon, Wasps and a return to Suntory.

Smith returns to the Premiership after a spell at Wasps (Getty Images)

Needless to say, the signing of Smith raised eyebrows. Yes, Bristol have nabbed themselves one of the most experienced players in the world, but that costs money to do - as does landing the likes of Madigan and Luatua when the club were still in the Championship. But none of these compared to Bristol’s announcement last year that they had signed Charles Piutau, the supremely gifted All Black who in joining the south-west club becomes the world’s highest paid player on a reported £1m-a-season two-year deal.

But Smith offers a view that is in support of this, on the basis that if clubs like Bristol weren’t utilise the marquee signing rule - one that allows two players per season to be exempt from each Premiership club’s salary cap - then the world’s best players would be plying their trade elsewhere.

“These players would be playing in different competitions if they weren’t retained here,” Smith added. “We have a fantastic owner in Mr Landsdown which allows us to recruit a player like him (Piutau).

“From a players’ point of view we are not worried about the money or how much people earn in the team. We have no egos in our group – that’s what you find when everyone is working for each other.

“In terms of financial components I am not counting anyone’s money. You need to keep the best players in the world in the Premiership and if that is by those means then fair’s fair.

“Charles is definitely one of the best players in the world. He is very humble and good around the guys – he jokes a lot with the players. We have a very happy team.”

Smith is relishing the challenge on his return to England (PA)

When Bristol earned promotion two years ago, they fell short of survival by some way, finishing the season 13 points adrift of Worcester Warriors. This time around, there is the expectation among them that relegation is not a word that will be mentioned this season. Head coach Lam has made it clear that he wants the club to qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup at the first attempt, which would necessitate a top-seven finish.

“It is not about retention in the Premiership,” Smith said. “It will be a challenge against every team that we play. We all set goals at the start of the season and being part of the Champions Cup is one of them.

“Before the season starts everyone has ambitions and that is one of ours. We will try to put ourselves in the best position to challenge every team. If we are doing all those things we think we are capable of we will flow into what we want.”

The Bears kick-off the season in a hotly-anticipated encounter with West Country rivals Bath, a match that has seen the build-up dominated with light-hearted jibes via their two Twitter accounts. If Bristol can get an early W on the board before facing reigning champions Saracens the following week, those clubs who finished in the lower half of the table last season will be nervously looking over their shoulder, and if they deliver on Lam and Smith’s expectations, we could well see a big scalp relegated at the end of the season.