BRIAN SMITH, WHO won nine Ireland caps between 1989-91, has died aged 59 after battling cancer.
Smith played both rugby league and union during his career. He could play at nine or 10 and won five caps for Australia in 1987 before switching allegiance to Ireland in 1987, while he studied at Oxford University. He scored 29 points in his Ireland test career.
He moved to rugby league in 1991, playing for the Balmain Tigers in Sydney.
Smith had a successful coaching career, including two stints as director of rugby at London Irish.
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Brian Smith London Irish. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
He was appointed coaching coordinator at the Brumbies in 2000, before becoming joint head coach at Bath in 2002.
Smith’s first reign at London Irish began in 2005. He led them to a Challenge Cup final in 2006, where they lost 36-34 to Gloucester, and the Heineken Cup semi-final in 2008, where the Exiles lost 21-15 to Toulouse.
England manager at the time Martin Johnson then recruited Smith as an attack coach, until England’s exit from the 2011 World Cup.
Smith then returned to London Irish as director of rugby until 2015, when he went back to Australia to become director of rugby at Scots College in Sydney.
He coached a number of future Australia internationals, including prop Angus Bell who told reporters: “He was coaching at Scots and coached a lot of us coming through the grades and I just wanted to say it’s a really sad time and we’re wishing the best for his wife and kids.
“You know, he was an avid rugby person and helped a lot of individuals in the squad so just sending my condolences from the Wallabies and both myself.
“He was my coach in GPS, and NSW twos. I was 16 and fair to say that I wouldn’t have played anywhere near as good without him.
“Me, Jeremy Williams and Will Harris from the Force were really close with him and he was a great bloke, a great father, a great coach.”
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'It's a really sad time' - former Ireland international Brian Smith dies aged 59
BRIAN SMITH, WHO won nine Ireland caps between 1989-91, has died aged 59 after battling cancer.
Smith played both rugby league and union during his career. He could play at nine or 10 and won five caps for Australia in 1987 before switching allegiance to Ireland in 1987, while he studied at Oxford University. He scored 29 points in his Ireland test career.
He moved to rugby league in 1991, playing for the Balmain Tigers in Sydney.
Smith had a successful coaching career, including two stints as director of rugby at London Irish.
He was appointed coaching coordinator at the Brumbies in 2000, before becoming joint head coach at Bath in 2002.
Smith’s first reign at London Irish began in 2005. He led them to a Challenge Cup final in 2006, where they lost 36-34 to Gloucester, and the Heineken Cup semi-final in 2008, where the Exiles lost 21-15 to Toulouse.
England manager at the time Martin Johnson then recruited Smith as an attack coach, until England’s exit from the 2011 World Cup.
Smith then returned to London Irish as director of rugby until 2015, when he went back to Australia to become director of rugby at Scots College in Sydney.
He coached a number of future Australia internationals, including prop Angus Bell who told reporters: “He was coaching at Scots and coached a lot of us coming through the grades and I just wanted to say it’s a really sad time and we’re wishing the best for his wife and kids.
“You know, he was an avid rugby person and helped a lot of individuals in the squad so just sending my condolences from the Wallabies and both myself.
“He was my coach in GPS, and NSW twos. I was 16 and fair to say that I wouldn’t have played anywhere near as good without him.
“Me, Jeremy Williams and Will Harris from the Force were really close with him and he was a great bloke, a great father, a great coach.”
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brian smith RIP Rugby