An Open Letter To Conrad Smith

Dear Conrad

On behalf of the FDMC Community, thank you.

Thank you for the pleasure we have gained from watching your exploits on the rugby field over the course of your career. You have always played the game in the right spirit and it has always been a source of excitement to watch you perform at the highest level. You have written your name into the rich saga of All Black history and that is something we are very proud of. You are a poster child for skinny white boys everywhere.

Thank you for the way you have carried yourself as a sports figure. You have been an excellent role model for others and have shown that you can be a public figure without selling your soul to celebrity. We have really appreciated the way you have interacted with all age groups, represented your teams with humility and pride and had some fun along the way.

Thank you for being part of our community. You have made yourself available whenever possible and have often acknowledged and supported your old school in a very positive manner. You were and remain a "good College man", something that is shared and celebrated by many of your old school mates.

The All Black time is over for you but there is a whole lot more stretching ahead. Whatever paths you take we know you will carry with you the same class and integrity you have always shown. 

It has been a fun ride for you, and for us. Thanks again, and in the words of the great John Whyte  "Go Well".