Tanner Stowers-Smith will carry a special family legacy onto the international stage when he debuts for the New Zealand Kiwis against the Cook Islands.
It’s not only one of the proudest moments of his career, but he will also follow in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, Pat Smith, who captained the Kiwis in all of his ten Tests between 1947 and 1949.
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While the Warriors forward never met him or watched him play, his connection to the former Kiwis skipper has remained strong through stories passed down by his family.
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His nana recently sent him a photograph that offered a glimpse into just how different life was during his great-grandfather’s era.
Players had to sail by boat to international Test matches and spend months away from home before making the long journey back across the Tasman with little more than a suitcase.
“He was the captain of the Kiwis. I never got to meet him or anything and never got to watch him play, but I’ve learned a lot about him,” Stowers-Smith told foxsports.com.au.
“My family have taught me a lot about the player he was. I’ve got lots of photos around my family home of him wearing the Kiwis jersey and my nana actually sent me a photo the other day and said they used to travel on a boat to their test matches.
“They’d be away sailing for months and then play and then sail back with a little suitcase.
“I’ve still got his jersey that he wore actually hanging up in my family room and I look back on that and it’s pretty cool.”
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – SEPTEMBER 20: Tanner Stowers-Smith of the Warriors taduring the NRL Semi Final match between the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights at Eden Park on September 20, 2026, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Generations later, Stowers-Smith will create his own piece of family history when he pulls on the Black and White jersey for the first time.
“I missed the call from him [Stacey Jones], actually. I was with my mate running, and I called him back and I thought he was going to say, ‘Sorry, mate, you’re not in the squad this time,’” Stowers-Smith said.
“For him to tell me I was in the squad it was a shock. I just thanked him so much and said I won’t let him down and I appreciate it so much.
“I was actually with my mate in the car and we were driving back home and I put it on speaker.
“He was really happy for me too and it was a big shock and I’m just very grateful to be here.”
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND – OCTOBER 24: Tanner Stowers-Smith runs with a ball during the New Zealand Kiwis Captain’s Run at One New Zealand Stadium on October 24, 2026 in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
THOUGHTS OF GIVING UP RUGBY LEAGUE
As Stowers-Smith prepares to make his international debut for the Kiwis, the forward has opened up for the first time about the difficult period in his life that nearly saw him walk away from the sport.
After moving from Christchurch to Auckland to pursue his NRL dream, he struggled to adjust to life away from home before poor form and off-field issues left him questioning whether he was cut out for professional rugby league.
“There were definitely thoughts of going back home and just picking up a trade and playing local footy,” he revealed.
“But I’m glad I stuck through and ended up creating great relationships.”
Naturally shy, he found it difficult to settle into a new environment and build relationships with his teammates.
This meant spending his first four months living alone, with no one familiar to turn to when things got tough.
“I think leaving home was hard for me, even moving to Auckland by myself,” Stowers-Smith explained.
“I was living by myself for the first four months, not knowing anyone. I’m quite a shy person too so I’ve really struggled with trying to get out there and get to know my teammates and stuff.
“When the days felt a bit tough, I got a bit homesick.”
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Then in 2024, Stowers-Smith faced another major crossroads in his career.
Admitting he had lost his way off the field, he said poor habits affected his fitness and performances, leaving him struggling to make an impact when given opportunities to play.
After putting on considerable weight, he fell short of his own standards, which forced him to take a hard look at his professionalism.
“I went through a stage in 2024 where I put on a lot of weight and I wasn’t playing really good footy and I was very unfit,” he said.
“I could barely even get out there for 15 minutes. I was getting off the bench and I just wasn’t myself. I wasn’t the player I wanted to be.
“I sort of had to have a hard look at myself and knew I needed to make the most of what I had because there’d be a lot of people striving to be where I was just to have the opportunity that I had.
“I was getting into a bit of trouble off the field and not taking it too seriously. I was eating really badly and I put on a lot of weight at the end of the season.
“I had thoughts of ‘Oh, should I just go home, should I throw this away, is this really for me?’”
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs New Zealand Warriors, SG Ball round one at Redfern Oval, 5/2/23. Tanner Stowers-Smith of the Warriors.Source: News Corp Australia
While Stowers-Smith questioned his future, the Warriors kept believing in him.
Their refusal to lose faith in him has shaped his loyalty to the club.
“That’s why I have a lot of loyalty to the club and especially for the coaching staff. They never stopped believing in me,” he added.
“I’m extremely grateful they never lost hope in me and always had faith and I hope I can repay them.”
Determined to make the most of the opportunity he had been given, he returned home at the end of the 2024 season and set about turning his career around.
Committing to a more disciplined off-season regime, he went on to make his NRL debut in 2025 and has never looked back.
“That’s when I went back home and took the off-season really personally and ended up playing that following year and have been in it ever since,” he said.
“I needed to go through that stuff to be the player I am now, to learn from all mistakes and your greatest lessons come from your mistakes.”
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FAMILY TIES AND A FUTURE RIVALRY
One person certain to be Stowers-Smith on when he makes his Kiwis debut is his younger brother, who is carving out his own rugby league path with the Sydney Roosters.
Still eligible to play in the Under-19s SG Ball Cup, Seymour Stowers-Smith recently inked an extension with the Roosters after captaining St Andrews College to their first New Zealand First XV title since 1917.
Despite their age difference, the pair shared the typical competitive sibling rivalry growing up, but the Warriors forward admits the tables may have turned.
“It’s funny. I always used to bully him when we were growing up and he’d probably bully me now,” the oldest of the two said.
“He’s a big boy. He’s about 6’2. He’s fast, strong and a great player. He’s got the attributes that I don’t.
“He’s got great vision and ball-playing skills, which is something I need to do a bit of work on, but he’s very powerful and he’s creating his own path now.”
While Stower-Smith would have loved to have his brother alongside him at the Warriors, he understands he is forging his own path and believes the Tricolours offer an excellent environment to further his development.
With the brothers playing for different teams, they’re already preparing to face each other on the field one day.
“I would have loved for him to be at the Warriors but that’s not how it worked out and who knows where things can go in the future,” he continued.
“Hopefully he can build his game at the Roosters and create something for himself.
“It’d be great to play against him one day and hopefully smash him.”
However, for now, Tanner Stowers-Smith has his own milestone to focus on when he takes on the Cook Islands.
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