Former England Attack Coach Brian Smith Dies at 59 After Cancer Battle
- Brian Smith, who served as England's attack coach under Martin Johnson, passed away at 59 after battling an aggressive cancer
- The former dual-code international had represented both Australia and Ireland during his playing career before transitioning into coaching
- Australia prop Angus Bell and former England fly-half Andy Goode were among those who paid tribute to Smith following the news
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Brian Smith, a former assistant coach to the England rugby union team, died on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, at the age of 59 following a battle with an aggressive form of cancer.
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Dr Ian PM Lambert, principal of Scots College in Sydney, where Smith had been employed since 2015, confirmed the death. Smith held the position of director of rugby and assistant director of sport at the school up until his passing.
A career spanning two hemispheres
Smith began his playing career as a fly-half, earning six caps for Australia, including three appearances at the 1987 Rugby World Cup. He subsequently represented Ireland nine times while studying at Oxford University. After returning to Australia, he crossed codes into rugby league, making 43 NRL appearances over four seasons with the Balmain Tigers and Eastern Suburbs.
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His coaching career began at the Brumbies in 2000, where he served as coaching coordinator. He later moved to Bath as joint head coach in 2002, then took charge as London Irish's director of rugby in 2005. During that tenure, he guided the club to the Challenge Cup final in 2006 and the Heineken Cup semi-finals in 2008.
Smith joined Martin Johnson's England setup in 2008 as attack coach, a role he held until Johnson's departure following the 2011 Rugby World Cup. He returned to London Irish before relocating to Sydney in 2015.
Tributes from the Rugby World
Australia prop Angus Bell, who was coached by Smith at Scots College, spoke to reporters on Wednesday.
"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," Bell said.
Bell added:
"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 well without him. 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."
Former England fly-half Andy Goode, who played under Smith for the national team, also paid tribute.
"Sad news hearing of the passing of my old England coach Brian Smith," Goode wrote on social media.
"A cracking bloke and a quality coach in his time, thoughts with his family at this sad time. RIP Smithy."
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Source: Briefly News
