Nicky Smith was a teenager when he walked into the changing rooms at the Ospreys, his hometown club, for the first time.
After 12 seasons in Wales, having represented his country 46 times, Smith pulled into Oval Park for day one of pre-season training at Leicester Tigers with the same sense of excitement and nervousness as he did arriving at the gates of Pentrehafod School in Swansea.
“It was a bit like first day of school at the start,” Smith laughed, sitting in The Club Shop at his new home, Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
“You’re meeting new people, it’s a new environment but once you’re out on the field, it’s just rugby then and you focus on making good impression.
“Credit to the boys and the coaches; they’ve been so welcoming, and it’s made settling in that bit easier.”
Smith is by no means a stranger at Leicester Tigers, to be fair. Tigers back-rower Olly Cracknell is a former club teammate, while Tommy Reffell and Smith have spent plenty of time together in Welsh camp, most recently at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
It’s fair to say Smith’s mates had let him know that pre-season at Tigers wasn’t going to be easy. Whether it was the tip-off, or the club’s proceeding reputation, Smith admitted there was an aura around the club from the beginning.
“When you walk in the club, you can feel the expectation and that comes from the players and coaches,” he said.
“It’s Leicester Tigers; I think everyone knows what’s expected here even from the outside but to achieve those things, you’ve got to work hard in pre-season, so it’s definitely been tough, but as I said it’s been enjoyable as well.
“Even walking into this [Family Fun Day] today, I was shocked really. Watching on TV, playing here before, and now seeing this today, chatting to people, it makes sense why there’s always a crowd here just because of their passion.
“Everyone was just wishing us well and we’re focused on doing well for them as well.”
Supporters can see Smith and his fellow Tigers for the first time this season on Friday, August 30, against Nottingham in the first of two pre-season fixtures at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
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