Former Wallabies and NRL star Brian Smith has died at age 59 after battling an aggressive cancer.
The rugby union international played six Tests for Australia and a further nine for Ireland in the 1980s before he made a controversial switch to rugby league in 1991 after former Wallabies coach Alan Jones took over the helm at the Balmain Tigers.
Smith was once described by Jones as one of the world’s most gifted players.
He played 43 NRL matches in the halves for Balmain and Eastern Suburbs across four seasons, including one representative game for City Origin in 1992.
He was later appointed as coaching coordinator for the ACT Brumbies, was in charge the Australian rugby sevens team and worked an attack coach with the England rugby union team.
Smith was most recently the Head of Sport at Sydney‘s Scots College and died just weeks before his 60th birthday.
‘Brian had been very unwell in recent months and was battling an aggressive cancer,’ Scots College principal Dr Ian PM Lambert told colleagues.
‘This is very sad news for our College community and I know it will come as a shock to many of you who knew and worked closely with him.’
Former rugby union and league star Brian Smith (pictured coaching in 2011) has died aged 59
Smith (left) played 15 rugby Tests before coaching teams in Australia and England
Brian Smith was most recently the Head of Sport at Sydney’s Scots College
Smith is survived by his wife Lisa, daughters Ruby and Santana, and son Chilli.
His death has shocked the sporting world.
‘We were about the same age – I didn’t even know the poor guy was crook,’ former Balmain Tigers teammate Mark Geyer told nine.com.au.
‘You couldn’t find a nicer, more considerate person who cared for his teammates.
‘And he had plenty of ability too – playing for the Wallabies and then switching codes and starring in league is not easy to do.
‘He was a real talent and it is a tragedy.’
More to come.
