Ex-Ireland rugby ace Brian Smith, 59, remembered as ‘Great bloke, father and coach’ after tragic death

FORMER Ireland rugby international Brian Smith has passed away from cancer at the age of 59.

Smith also lined out for Australia over the course of his international career.

A versatile half-back in his playing days, he initially won six caps for The Wallabies with some of them coming at the first Rugby World Cup in 1987.

Since this was back in the sport’s amateur days a move to England to study at Oxford University put rugby union on the backburner.

But he was given a second route into the international game with Ireland and wound up earning nine caps in the green jersey.

By the time the following World Cup rolled around in 1991, his previous Wallabies coach ‌Alan Jones had ⁠switched codes to league and persudaded Smith to join him at the Balmain Tigers team.

Smith spent the rest of his playing career in Sydney playing the 13-man game.

He went into coaching after hanging up his boots and rose as high as being an assistant to Martin Johnson while he served as England head coach between 2008 ⁠and 2011.

The Queensland native later enjoyed a director of rugby stint at London Irish before he chose to go home to ⁠Australia.

His final role in rugby was as head of sport at Sydney private school Scots College. It was the school that revealed his sad death on Wednesday.

World-class Ulster prop Angus Bell was among the many stars who learned under Smith in their formative years.

Speaking at a Wallabies press conference within hours of the news becoming public knowledge, he paid tribute to his former school coach.

Bell said: “Fair to say that I wouldn’t have been anywhere near as good without him.

 “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.”

The IRFU today posted a message of condolence across its social media channels.

It read: “We are saddened to hear of the passing of former out-half Brian Smith following a short illness.

“Capped nine times for Ireland, he also represented Australia and had a long and illustrious career as a player and coach. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.”