Rugby League: Australian Smith Vows to Bring on British Coaching Talent

England will be coached by a British citizen with a strong Australian accent in next year's World Cup. But Tony Smith, who yesterday confirmed his intention to apply for the British passport for which he qualifies after seven seasons working in this country with Huddersfield and Leeds, will initially combine his existing job at the Rhinos with his new role as the national coach after the Rugby Football League agreed to defer making a full-time appointment until the end of the year.

"I don't think it will come down to my accent, it will come down to the actions," said the 40-year-old, who becomes British rugby league's second national coach from overseas after David Waite, another Australian who filled the role from 2001-03. "I guess there will be some traditionalists out there saying it should be a British coach but I think most people in sport now would agree it's about the best man for the job."

The RFL had stressed its desire for a full-time national coach when announcing that it would seek a replacement for Brian Noble after Britain's failure to qualify for the final of a second consecutive Tri-Nations series last autumn.

But after a search lasting more than three months it became sufficiently convinced by Smith's suitability for the role that it is prepared for him to work part-time until his Leeds contract expires at the end of the season.

"He is absolutely the right man for the job," said the RFL's executive chairman, Richard Lewis. "He has a proven track record of success, the ability to develop young players and, very importantly, he sets high standards indeed. As we seek to improve our position in the world rankings I want Tony to challenge the players, to challenge the RFL and to challenge us as a sport to see what we need to do to move up."

Smith will start work on a part-time basis immediately, considering the task of appointing a support staff and selecting a squad for a one-off international against France in June followed by a three-Test home series against New Zealand in the autumn. Confusingly that will be as the Great Britain coach before the four home nations compete in next year's World Cup and he will wear yet another hat by taking charge of the Northern Union team who face the Kiwis to celebrate the centenary of the first rugby league international.

"I think it's pretty much a clean sheet for me and all the players," he said, confirming that his assistants will be British, with a view to developing his successor. "I've had a policy since I've been here that none of my assistants have been anything but British. I've seen that as part of my responsibilities since I've been in this country, to help develop British coaches. I do feel responsibility as a part of British rugby league and I have done since day one at Huddersfield. I can't tell you how excited I am and proud to take up such a prestigious position. I'm excited because I think there is outstanding talent in this country and a good foundation has been set by Brian Noble and David Waite."

Attention will now turn to the process of appointing Smith's successor at Leeds, which will be clarified by the Rhinos chief executive, Gary Hetherington, today. John Lang, the experienced Australian who was one of the other leading contenders for the Great Britain job, remains a strong possibility but the surprise news that Smith has not been required to leave Headingley immediately brings younger coaches at other Super League clubs - notably Justin Morgan at Hull Kingston Rovers and Brian McDermott at Harlequins, who was formerly Smith's Leeds assistant - into the mix.

Morgan, however, appeared to rule himself out of contention yesterday, insisting that he is already in negotiations with Hull KR to extend his contract beyond the end of next season.

Route to the top


Born January 24 1967 in Grafton, New South Wales

Playing career Stand-off for Illawarra Steelers, St George, Workington Town

Coaching career


Assistant at Adelaide (1996-7) and Parramatta (1998-2000)

Head coach of Japan national side in emerging nations section at World Cup); head coach at Huddersfield Giants (2000-3) and Leeds Rhinos (2004-7)

Honours


Huddersfield 2002 Northern Ford Premiership champions and promotion to Super League

Leeds 2004 finished top of Super League table and won Grand Final; 2005 World Club Challenge winners, Super League and Challenge Cup runners-up