Johnson calls on ex-Wallaby
July 16, 2008

FORMER Australia and Ireland rugby international five-eighth, Brian Smith, left his post as London Irish rugby director yesterday to become attack coach for England.

The 41-year-old had been much sought after by new England head coach Martin Johnson, having proved himself at Bath as defence coach and then at London Irish, where he had been for three years.

He also worked in Australia with Sydney-based Eastern Suburbs, who enjoyed an undefeated season in 2000 which led to a role coaching with the ACT Brumbies who reached the Super 12 final in 2001.

He made an immediate impact at London Irish when he joined them at the beginning of the 2005-06 campaign, guiding them to third place in the Premiership and the final of the European Challenge Cup.

Last season London Irish played in a memorable European Cup semi-final against Toulouse, taking the current French champions to the wire.

Johnson was ecstatic to have netted Smith as he attempts to restore England to the top of the tree, which he achieved in 2003 as a player when he lifted the World Cup in Sydney having beaten the Australians.

"Brian is a top attack coach and I'm sure he will be a real asset to us," said Johnson, who was unable to take charge of the England side that lost 2-0 to the All Blacks on its recent tour of New Zealand.

Smith, who played for Australia in the inaugural World Cup in 1987 before playing for Ireland nine times from 1989, admitted the chance of coaching at international level had been too good to miss.

"The opportunity to coach at international level comes along rarely in one's career so I'm looking forward to my new position with England. It's an exciting time to be involved," said Smith.

"I would like to thank London Irish for the opportunity the club has given me."

* French Second Division rugby champions Toulon unveiled yesterday its new-look squad for next season which showed 17 new faces, of which 12 are in the scrum.

The ambitious outfit has plans to recruit three more players as it looks to launch a serious challenge for the championship and upset the usual suspects of Toulouse, Clermont, Stade Francais, Biarritz and Perpignan.

Their most eyecatching signing was All Black legend backrow forward Jerry Collins who, even though he is only 27, opted like several of his national team-mates to turn their backs on the international scene and take a big money offer from Europe.

Collins is likely to form a formidable backrow with Springbok international Joe van Niekerk.

Whilst they will provide fireworks on the pitch, Toulon will be hoping that controversial Australian halfback Matt Henjak will also keep his best for matchday and not make the papers because of his off-pitch behaviour, which saw him sacked from Australian rugby when he broke the jaw of Western Force team-mate Haig Sare in a bar in February.

Hooker Guillaume Ribes and props Jerome Filitoga and Mathieu Larrouy have jumped ship eager for another bite among the elite.

However, they will face tough competition from another three new signings, Georgian international prop David Kubriashvili, signed from Montpellier, and two southern hemisphere players Kiwi prop Ben Castle, who arrived from the Waikato Chiefs and South African hooker Christiaan Liebenberg, who has left the Stormers.

Toulon has lost World Cup winning lock Victor Matfield after just one season and also missed out on signing his second row partner, Bakkies Botha, but they have secured the services of highly-rated 21-year-old South African Ross Skeate.

Backing him up will be former Mont-de-Marsan star Jocelino Suta.

Aside from Collins and van Niekerk, Toulon has also invested in Fijian international Sisaro Koyamaibole, who arrives from Italy, and Olivier Missoup from Oyonnax.

Toulon will have three choices at fly-half in Italy international Ramiro Pez, Montauban's Sebastien Fauque and Damien Vidal.

Centre Luke Rooney, a former Australia rugby league international, makes up the new faces. The 25-year-old has switched codes after playing with the Penrith Panthers.

Johnson calls on ex-Wallaby | The Australian