By MARK CASHMAN

Six shoulder surgeries, that included two major reconstructions by the age of 21, would signal “game over” for any normal rugby player.

But Eastern Suburbs open side breakaway Charlie Smith is no ordinary human being, no normal rugby player and four games into his Shute Shield career he’s making every second count.

Smith has impressed many with his efforts in a Beasties side that is yet to click into gear but showing lots of potential and are sitting eighth on the competition table with a single win so far.

But each week on the field is a cause for celebration when you track the travails of this 22-year-old.

Smith isn’t the biggest backrower in Sydney at 88kg – up 10kg from his last surgery – and his coach Pauli Taumoepeau says he just keeps ticking boxes each week.

“I sat down with him at the start of the season and said that these are the outcomes that we want from you and asked him if he felt comfortable doing them,” Taumoepeau said.

“And he’s always delivered on the things that we have asked him to do.

“Charlie’s got to be smarter about the way that he uses his body, but he’s getting a lot of things right.

“He’s brave and courageous and the things that he has been doing haven’t surprised us.”

The first reconstruction happened in Year 11 at school which allowed him to be part of the Scots College First XV in his final year in 2015 and he arrived at Woollahra Oval the next year as the next big thing in their colts system.

Smith then had a full season in colts and time with the NSW Waratahs Gen Blue squad before deciding to follow some mates Phil Pymer and Callum Anthony who had a year in Sydney with Easts to London.

He turned out for the Southwold club in deep depths of London Division Three North East league with Pymer and Anthony, impressing until he banged up his shoulders again.

Smith took his time to head back home but once he arrived he had the shoulder reconstructed with the ultimate aim being to give his rugby a good crack.

But he was rushing to get back too quickly and his time on the field was limited until what was pretty much the turning point in this whole story.

Taumoepeau, who has been his coach since he left Scots College, spotted a forlorn looking Smith in the car park at the back of Woollahra Oval and had a telling conversation with him.

“He’d had the problems with his shoulders and was trying to get back to playing as quickly as he could, but he was constantly around the footy club and his mates and it was just killing him not be able to play,” Taumoepeau said.

“You could see the toll it was taking, so I asked if if he thought he could come back and be the best he could be. Then I said that the best thing for him to do was to go away and get well.

“We also spoke about what direction he would take if the rugby didn’t work out but all through that stuff you could see the determination to play again at the highest possible level.

“Charlie’s a good person, a free spirit and an unbelievable human being and there is a lot of admiration at our club for what he has gone through over the past three years.”

Enter Justin Lang and Live Athletic at Caringbah and the rebuilding of Smith began.

Lang runs a training group that specialises in injury rehabilitation and elite performance in a number of sports.

Session by session Smith’s core strength and shoulders became more robust and as he said they have “held up really well”.

“Justin’s been great through all this. He gave me the guidance about how to prepare for footy in a professional and scientific way,” Smith said.

“I’ve got to admit that at different stages it looked like the rugby thing wasn’t going to happen and when I look back it was good advice to get away from the footy and come back when I was ready to go.

“I’m still working each week with him and there are a number of guys who play Shute Shield working with him each week”

Smith admits that there were plenty of dark days on the journey.

“It was challenging some days that is for sure particularly the time when I was going through surgery after surgery but I’ve always had my family (mum Kate and dad Craig) in my corner,” Smith added.

His bother Billy is the other footy talent in the family having made his NRL debut for the Roosters earlier this year and considered by some to be the man most likely to step into Latrelle Mitchell’s shoes at Bondi Junction.

“He’s rehabbing an ACL injury (his second) at the moment,” Smith added. “So it’s been great for me to be able to help him through what is always a tough time.”

Away from the rugby Smith has made his mark as a male model.

He’s done numerous assignments for a number of high end clothes labels and is managed by IMG Modelling.

“It’s a cool job but can be a bit challenging when you front up to a job with a black eye or a few stitches across the eyebrows,” Smith said.

“It’s been awesome and I feel privileged to be able to do it.”

The modelling has taken him to Queensland and Melbourne, but you can tell that Smith is most at home amongst his mates at Woollahra Oval.

“I’ve got my goals all mapped out for this year and to be honest I don’t want to look too far ahead,” Smith said.

“I want to play Shute Shield , play well each week and if the opportunity is there winning the whole show would be great.”

Worth all the pain that Smith has been through that is for sure.

IMAGE: KAREN WATSON