Payto & Panda: George Smith playing for next to nothing; Waratahs find travel tough

WE'RE so far past platitudes for the amazing George Smith we're up to talk of statue dedications and grandstand construction.

WE'RE so far past platitudes for the amazing George Smith we're up to talk of statue dedications and grandstand construction.

But on the eve of Smith's last game in Australian rugby - we think - it would be remiss of us to not share one further headshaking fact.

Since arriving back as injury cover in March, Smith has effectively been playing for the Brumbies for free.

For the past five months, the 140-game flanker has not drawn a wage from the ACT club.

The only compensation Smith agreed to take from the Brumbies is the club covering his rent, and a small weekly stipend for living expenses.

Smith is still under contract with Japanese club Suntory and being paid by them, but remember that's money he would have earned all the same even if he chose to put his feet up on a beach in the Japanese off-season.

But Suntory think so much of Smith they agreed to let him return to the Brumbies on loan during his holidays, and the only "fee" the ACT club is paying is to cover his insurance costs.

Smith struck a deal with the ARU to be paid a bumped-up Test match fee - something like $10,000 more than the standard $12,000 - but has otherwise been spending mostly his own yen while in Canberra.

Playing for pocket change is yet another insight into how much love Smith has for the Brumbies.

Insiders say they were stunned when Smith turned up back in Canberra in March and proceeded to go and thank officials and coaches for the chance to play for the club again. Most had the same speech planned for Smith.

It's little wonder Smith is being talked about as the greatest Brumby of all time and statues and stands are being kicked around. We reckon Smith - as shy a superstar as they come - would be most comfortable with a third Super Rugby title on Saturday night.

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Brumby-fever has hit Canberra this week but many are still wondering where the love for the side was three weeks ago, when their qualifying final against the Cheetahs only drew 14,000.  A freezing cold afternoon didn't help but the absent 7-8,000 fans hit the Brumbies right in the hip pocket. Free to bank profits from hosting a final, the empty quarter of the stadium cost them an estimated $80-90,000 in potential revenue.

Luckily, making the final has helped bring in more dough. The Chiefs - who'll earn $400,000 for hosting the final - paid the Brumbies a $125,000 match fee. The final is the only game in Super Rugby where profits are shared.

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Ben Alexander's dad can't make the Super Rugby final in Hamilton, but he has a good excuse. Ben's dad is a paediatrician at the Children’s Hospital, and is on call.

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Believe in omens? The Lions Test series may not have ended well for the Wallabies but it may still pay dividends for the Brumbies.

The host country of the last three Lions tours have provided the Super Rugby winner - Brumbies in 2001, Crusaders in 2005 and Bulls in 2009.

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Force players - particularly those with Kiwi blood - have been cacking themselves this week after rookie halfback Mick Snowden found himself in the star role of "White men can't haka" in a Ranfurly Shield challenge game.

Snowden is on loan to Waikato, and found himself in the middle of a fierce pre-match haka challenge when his team met East Coast-Ngati Porou in a Ranfurly Chield challenge match on Tuesday. (Consult YouTube) Fans surrounded both sides as the face-to-face challenge ended up getting heated. Eastwood's Snowden, who presumably had to study up on Waikato's haka, said on Twitter he forgot to keep "dancing" because he was entranced by what he was watching.

We tried to ring Mick for more info but couldn't get through. He must be busy practising. Or still hiding. One of those two.

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The Force announced they've signed two more South Africans - inside centre Marcel Brache and promising tighthead prop Chris Heiberg - from Western Province on Thursday. With Willhem Steenkamp and Sias Ebersohn already in Perth, that makes it four players from the Republic at the club. In unconfirmed quotes, Coach Michael Foley said: "Ja, howzit! Which one of you okes is bringing the biltong to my braai? Lekke."

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It seems one thing the Honey Badger does give a s**t about is his wages. Nick Cummins is holding out from re-signing with the Force, wanting a big pay increase after playing Test rugby last year. We hear for the astronomical dollar figures being thrown about, he may not want to hold his breath.

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Waratahs players weren't stoked when they got on an Aerolineas Argentinas plane this week for a two-game tour of South America. With a looong 12,000km journey ahead, the Tahs realised there was no entertainment system. One can imagine Michael Cheika - a lover of all things old-school - grinning at his players' sad faces.