John Burns Smith (26 September 1922 – 3 December 1974) was a New Zealand rugby union player, soldier, sportsman and baker.

His 26 appearances for the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force rugby team (known as the Kiwis), which toured the UK in 1946–47, earned him high praise.

[2] The All Blacks toured apartheid South Africa in 1949 but Māori players, including Smith, were excluded from the squad.

[5] Smith's official All Black profile now attributes his non-selection to "the unforgivable weakness shown by New Zealand rugby in meeting South Africa's apartheid conditions".

"The New Zealand Rugby Union ... decided that the 1949 matches against Australia would have full test status, even though the country's top 30 [white] players were in South Africa.

One of the reasons for the decision was to not deprive test caps to three of the All Blacks, Johnny Smith, Ben Couch and Vince Bevan who were not considered for the South African tour because they were Maori.

[8] Smith's wide-ranging sporting ability led to a national junior tennis title in the 1938-39 doubles (with Allan Burns), appearances for the Northland cricket team, and success as an amateur golfer.

His father Leslie was a baker who had served in World War I and played rugby for both South Auckland and North Island Country.