the reserve grade side to a Grand Final win in 1976 and spent most of 1977 in reserve grade. At the end of the 1977 season he was cut from the club after a prank on a sponsor's bus trip to the Penfolds Vineyard went wrong. Smith was 35 and had played a record 296 games in all grades with St. George - the club's standing record. Billy Smith was awarded Life Membership of the St. George Dragons in 1973. Playing style Small in size compared to most rugby league players, Smith was renowned for his toughness. He was capable of challenging any opponent head-on on the field, and his organising and kicking skills were a vital part of St. George's success during his career. Legendary rugby league hardman John Sattler is quoted as follows in the Writer reference:"People talk about the enforcers in the game, but Langlands and his mate Smithy were the toughest of the tough because they could play with injury - arm hanging off, crook leg, strap 'em up and send 'em out - and they could perform. And they had such club spirit. They were knockabouts and larrikins off the paddock, but they respected their club and teammates and treated Frank Facer like their own father." Representative career He made his Test debut against France in 1964 in his first season as a halfback. In 1966 Smith won the Harry Sunderland Medal when Australia retained the Ashes at home for the first time. His tackling of the heavyweight English forwards was the decisive factor in this win, and was praised heartily by the press. For the next five years Smith missed (due to injury) only one Test match in which Australia was involved. In 1967 Smith won the Harry Sunderland Medal again (this time for his performance against New Zealand and was an automatic selection for the Kangaroo tour later that year. He played in five Tests and ten minor tour matches but misbehaviour on that tour threatened his international career. He was however chosen in Australia's World cup squad in 1968, toured New Zealand in 1969 and was picked against Great Britain in 1970 for all three Tests of the domestic Ashes series. In spite of having been fined half his 1967-68 tour bonus, when it came time to pick the 1970 World Cup squad, Smith was selected as vice-captain and, after injury to