Overview
- Scots College principal Dr Ian PM Lambert confirmed on Wednesday that Brian Smith had died after a recent battle with an aggressive cancer.
- Smith won six Test caps for Australia in 1987, including at the inaugural Rugby World Cup, then qualified for Ireland while at Oxford and earned nine more Tests between 1989 and 1991.
- He switched to rugby league in the early 1990s, making 43 first‑grade NRL appearances for Balmain and Eastern Suburbs before moving into coaching.
- Smith’s coaching résumé spanned the Brumbies, Bath, London Irish (director of rugby), England’s attack coach from 2008 to 2011, stints in Japan and with Australia sevens, and a return to Sydney as Scots College head of sport in 2015.
- He is survived by his wife Lisa and children Ruby, Santana and Chilli, and former pupils including Wallaby prop Angus Bell have publicly credited Smith with playing a major role in their development.