'I'm proud of my disciplinary record' - Smith

It was the first sending off in the back rower’s decorated nineteen-year career, and Smith revealed he is grateful that the correct decision was made on Tuesday night.

“I’m confident in my ability as a rugby player and what happened out there. Throughout the entire time, I was confident in the tackle and the measured process I take in my tackling style,” said the 38 year-old.

“It was a big collision, but these are common in rugby. The referees have a tough job out there, so I’m just happy that it’s been reviewed and I’ve been cleared.

“I have a pretty impeccable disciplinary record and it’s something that I am proud of – I work hard on my skillset and tackling. I always try to go through the same process in each game. I assess different situations, how the attack is presented and then I decide what tackle I will make.”

The red card swung the game in Saracens’ favour on Saturday, as Bristol conceded four tries following the decision.

Smith added: “We were really in that game up to that point, so it was a costly one for us. We were very competitive, and that’s down to the strong culture we have here and the desire to work hard for each other.

“The brotherhood that we have at the Bears is fantastic. We work really hard in our preparation and I’m really enjoying it. Not just working with the players and coaches, but the community as well – they have rallied behind the team and the support is unbelievable.

“The focus is on Gloucester now and we are looking forward to it. They’re an expansive team that play really good football. We have confidence in what we are doing and we’re excited for Friday.”