"My eight-year-old at the time was asking if I was going to die”

Scottish rugby legend Tom Smith was diagnosed in November 2019 with stage four colorectal cancer before the disease spread to his liver and brain.

Tom Smith photographed in 2001 at Murrayfield

Scottish rugby legend Tom Smith has spoken candidly about his battle with cancer.

Smith, who made 67 international appearances - 61 for Scotland and six for the Lions - was diagnosed in November 2019 with stage four colorectal cancer before the disease spread to his liver and brain.

However he and is now ‘doing well’ following a series of treatments.

"The tumour is getting smaller and is under control,” Smith said in an interview with scottishrugby.org. 

“The cancer is stable. The lesions on my brain, there’s no sign of any problem, any return. The chemo now is a lot easier than it was at the start when I had to stay in hospital and I would be pretty much out of it for a day or two. You have to regard this as a chronic condition, so you don’t stop the chemotherapy treatment. I had to get my head around that, but the chemo will stop it [the cancer] coming back.” 

He admitted that dealing with the disease in the early months was hugely challenging physically and emotionally.

"At the time I felt quite exposed," Smith explained in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live's Eleanor Oldroyd on Friday. "Initially it was quite scary for my family, because the first month or two were quite touch and go.” 

He continued: "My eight-year-old at the time was asking if I was going to die.

“It's a difficult question to answer if you don't actually know the answer.

"I said, 'no, I'm not ready to die. I'm not going anywhere, you're stuck with me.'

“I had everything crossed under the sheets."

Smith started six Lions Tests in a row between the 1997 tour of South Africa and then the 2001 tour of Australia.

Smith will now have to receive chemotherapy for the rest of his life but considers it a small price to pay. 

"I still have chemotherapy every two weeks. It takes three days - I go in Monday morning and leave in the evening and have two days at home with a pump attached and medicine going in and I just carry on. 

"It's a very different place to a year ago, and even six months ago."

Smith, who played for Dundee HSFP, Watsonians, Caledonia Reds, Glasgow Warriors, Northampton and Brive, has been supporting the colon cancer charity, 40tude, for which he is now an ambassador.

He said: “40tude is focused on improving the early detection and treatment of colon cancer because, if we do that, more lives can be saved.

“It’s really important for everyone, both men and women, to be aware of the symptoms of colon cancer – the second most common cancer in the UK – and to act if you spot them because if identified early, colon cancer is much easier to treat.

“Symptoms you should look for include a persistent change in your bowel habits, blood in your stool or abdominal pain. If you experience any of these, you should seek advice urgently from your GP. Don't delay in getting help. It could make all the difference.

“The good news is that colon cancer is treatable if it is detected early. The best way to detect colon cancer is through regular screening.”