Fletcher Smith (rugby union)

{{Infobox rugby biography

| name = Fletcher Smith

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|03|01|df=y}}

| birth_place = Nelson, New Zealand

| height = {{convert|180|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|88|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}

| school = Christchurch Boys' High School

| university =

| relatives =

| occupation =

| spouse =

| position = First five-eighth, Fullback

| currentclub = Waikato, {{Rut|NTT Shining Arcs}}

| allblackno =

| allblackid =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2015–2017

| clubs1 = {{Rut|Otago}}

| apps1 = 34

| points1 = 287

| years2 = 2016–2018

| clubs2 = Highlanders

| apps2 = 16

| points2 = 34

| years3 = 2018–

| clubs3 = {{Rut|Waikato}}

| apps3 = 40

| points3 = 301

| years4 = 2019–2020

| clubs4 = Hurricanes

| apps4 = 13

| points4 = 29

| years5 = 2021

| clubs5 = {{Rut|NTT Shining Arcs}}

| apps5 = 3

| points5 = 26

| years6 = 2022

| clubs6 = {{Rut|Green Rockets Tokatsu}}

| apps6 = 8

| points6 = 76

| years7 = 2022-

| clubs7 = {{Rut|Lyon}}

| apps7 = 1

| points7 = 0

| repyears1 = 2015

| repteam1 = New Zealand U20

| repcaps1 = 2

| reppoints1 = 9

| repyears2 = 2019

| repteam2 = Māori All Blacks

| repcaps2 = 2

| reppoints2 = 0

| clubupdate = 12 September 2022

| repupdate = 12 June 2020

}}

Fletcher Smith (born 1 March 1995) is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a first five-eighth for Lyon in France’s league the Top 14.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/squad/player/fletcher-smith/|title=Fletcher Smith|website=Hurricanes|access-date=17 February 2019|archive-date=17 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217142551/https://www.hurricanes.co.nz/squad/player/fletcher-smith/|url-status=dead}} He has also represented the {{rut|Highlanders}}.{{cite web | url=http://www.orfu.co.nz/otago/player/fletcher-smith/ | title=Fletcher Smith Otago Rugby Union Player Profile | publisher=Otago Rugby | accessdate=16 August 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817065614/http://www.orfu.co.nz/otago/player/fletcher-smith/ | archive-date=17 August 2016 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://thehighlanders.co.nz/our-team/player-profiles/795-fletcher-smith | title=Fletcher Smith Highlanders Player Profile | publisher=Highlanders Rugby | accessdate=2 January 2017}}{{cite web | url=http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016-ISR/2017_ISR_Squad_Naming_Highlanders-PUBLISHED-01.pdf | title=Highlanders 2017 Squad Guide | publisher=All Blacks.com | accessdate=2 January 2017 | archive-date=7 March 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307124831/http://files.allblacks.com/comms/2016-ISR/2017_ISR_Squad_Naming_Highlanders-PUBLISHED-01.pdf | url-status=dead }} He is Māori of Ngāti Kahungunu descent.

Early career

Raised in Nelson on New Zealand's South Island, Smith initially attended Nelson College in his hometown before finishing off his schooling at Christchurch Boys' High School, playing first XV rugby for them and wearing the same number 10 jersey that Dan Carter, Andrew Mehrtens and Aaron Mauger had worn before him. After graduating high school, he headed south to Dunedin to study commerce at the University of Otago and played local club rugby for the university's team during his time there.{{cite web | url=https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/rugby-learning-curve-smith | title=Rugby: Learning curve for Smith | publisher=Otago Daily Times | date = 26 September 2015 | accessdate=16 August 2016}}

Senior career

Smith got his senior career under way in 2015, turning out 11 times for Otago in the ITM Cup Championship and helping them to a third-place finish. He then played all of the Razorbacks 12 games in 2016 and kicked 106 points as they topped the Championship log but were defeated 17-14 by {{rut|North Harbour}}, consigning them to another season of Championship rugby in 2017.{{cite web | url=http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player_35551.html | title=Fletcher Smith itsrugby Player Statistics | publisher=itsrugby | accessdate=2 January 2017}}

Super Rugby

Smith earned a short-term contract with the Highlanders towards the end of the 2016 season and made two substitute appearances in which he kicked one conversion.{{cite web | url=http://www.superxv.com/highlanders-include-seven-all-blacks-for-jaguares/ | title=Highlanders include seven All Blacks for Jaguares | publisher=Super XV.com | date = 7 July 2016 | accessdate=16 August 2016}} He was subsequently promoted to the franchise's full squad for the 2017 Super Rugby season.

Super Rugby statistics

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; line-height:90%; font-size:95%; width:60%;"
2016	{{Rut\|Highlanders}}	2	0	2	14	0	1	0	0	2	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total \|\| 2 \|\| 0 \|\| 2 \|\| 14 \|\| 0 \|\| 1 \|\| 0 \|\| 0 \|\| 2 \|\| 0 \|\| 0