GEORGE Smith will play for the Queensland Reds for the next two seasons after an astonishing coup to hook the Wallabies great.

Even at 35, Smith is still one of the finest flankers in the world and proved it as one of the dominant figures in the English premiership season with Wasps.

WALLABIES TEAM FOR FIRST TEST V ENGLAND

Luring Smith to Brisbane will leave Reds fans shaking their heads at such a prize because they were lamenting the loss of top forward Liam Gill to French club Toulon next season.

media_camera George Smith will leave the Wasps to return home to Australia.

Instead, the Reds will fill the No.7 jersey with a figure who played 111 Tests for the Wallabies and 142 games of Super Rugby for the ACT Brumbies.

What opened the door to a bold Reds play was Smith weighing up Brisbane as the long-term home for his young family when he finishes playing.

There was still plenty of negotiating to be done because the ink has barely dried on Smith’s new deal with Japanese club Suntory Sungoliath.

Smith will join the Reds for the 2017 and 2018 seasons while also playing for Suntory in Japan’s Top League.

The final bow was tied on the deal to announce it today to a packed house at the Reds Long Lunch before Saturday night’s Australia-England Test at Suncorp Stadium.

media_camera George Smith in action for the Wasps.

“The body feels great and the experience in England has been outstanding,” Smith said.

“I’m really looking forward to playing Super Rugby again. I want to make a positive difference wherever I go and I feel I can do this with the Reds.

“My family and I are relocating to Brisbane for the long term and so the opportunity to make a very strong contribution to the Reds and also the broader Queensland community is something we are really excited about as a family.

“I believe I can make a big impression.

“The Reds have discussed their desire for me to also help mentor some of the young players and to share what I have learnt across my career with the next generation. That is one of the more exciting parts about coming to the Reds.

“I would like to personally acknowledge and thank Suntory Sungoliath for allowing me to return to Super Rugby and the Reds in between our Top League campaigns and endeavours in Japan.”

Smith’s impact will be in leadership and high performance as well as adding an aura for the squad’s flock of young backrowers.

media_camera George Smith in action for the Wallabies in 2013.

Reds General Manager said: “George is one of the greats of the modern game. He is still one of the best No.7s in the world on current form and just took out the Rugby Players Association Players’ Player award in England and helped lift Wasps to an English Premiership semi-final this season.

“His uncompromising professionalism has helped him achieve almost every imaginable individual and team accolade the game offers.”

He recently helped England coach Eddie Jones prepare players for their tour to Australia, and Smith will also have be used in a coaching capacity while playing for Suntory.

While Smith has a long history at the Brumbies, his family has links to Brisbane and so he is set to settle there long-term while playing out the remaining few years of his stellar career.

Smith would bolster a 2017 Reds squad that has already locked in Wallabies captain Stephen Moore, and backrower Leroy Houston, while playmaker Quade Cooper is expected to confirm his return to the club shortly.