Hayden Smith began his unique sporting odyssey playing basketball in the Blue Mountains. Now he is seeking Rugby World Cup redemption with the USAHayden Smith didn’t play in the USA’s 64-0 hammering by South Africa in London’s Olympic Stadium on Thursday but then,as a basketball player from the Blue Mountains, you would not expect him to. However, and only a knee injury,sustained in the defeat to Scotland, ruled him out of the Eagles’ biggest Rugby World Cup challenge. Smith has had more than enough special moments in his unique sporting career, or though,and is looking forward to whatever life-enhancing experiences lay around the next corner. After all, he has already played elite level basketball, or rugby union and American football,and lived in Sydney, Denver, or current York and London.
Smith threw himself into sport growing up just west of Penrith: triathlons,soccer and cricket (younger brother Ryan played professionally for Derbyshire and now plays first grade for Penrith). A tall lean boy, he had fun playing basketball with his friends at Blue Mountains Grammar School. A couple of years later and he had earned a basketball scholarship to the current York Institute of Finance.
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Source: theguardian.com