By Blake
July 18 2002

Bath have confirmed Brian Smith, the formers Tigers fly-half as their first team coach. He will endeavour to take Bath back to the heights they reached during the nineties. Brian Smith's achievements include being a dual Rugby Union International for Australia and Ireland. He subsequently had success as a Rugby league player, and then assistant coach of ACT Brumbies. However, the undoubted pinnacle of his career must surely be the 15 appearances he made for Tigers in 1990/91 at fly half.

Brian was signed as replacement for Les Cusworth who retired at the end of the previous season. He was a pretty controversial figure in his playing days, with a well published row whilst at Oxford University. His decision to opt to play for Ireland having been previously capped by Australia, and his decision to move to Rugby league just months before the World Cup when Ireland were expecting him to be their fly-half. He was also pretty versatile, starting out as a scrum half, then playing for Australia in every position behind the scrum, before settling at fly half.

Although at Tigers for a short time Brian will be remembered at Tigers for his prodigious kicking distance from hand, and the try he scored in Tigers win at Bath that year, something he will be hoping will not be repeated this year.