Exiles rebuff England move for Smith

LONDON IRISH director of rugby Brian Smith has been offered the job of England backs coach but the Exiles' board of management have quickly stepped in to guarantee he sees out a contract that runs for another 12 months.

Smith is in Australia for a family wedding at the weekend but in his absence has become the object of a tug-of-love between London Irish and the new England manager, Martin Johnson, who is keen to enlist his services, starting with the summer tour to New Zealand.

The English RFU's director of elite rugby, Rob Andrew, spoke recently to John Conlan, then chairman of London Irish, about the possibility of securing Smith's services. Conlan reported to the club's board of directors, who rejected the notion of allowing the Australian-born former Ireland international to leave.

In the interim the new Exiles chairman, Andrew Coppel, who took over from Conlan, clarified the issue from the club's perspective: "We are aware of Brian Smith's ambitions to further his career at international level at some point in the future. However, he is contracted to London Irish for another year and our intention is that the contract will be honoured.

"Two weeks ago the club received an official approach about Brian Smith from the Rugby Football Union (RFU), verbally through its director of elite rugby. The club's board considered the request and rejected it.

"Under various codes of conduct governing both the RFU and clubs, any approach to a player or coach who has more than six months remaining on his contract is expressly forbidden unless the club concerned gives its consent. London Irish has given no such consent to the RFU with regard to Brian Smith."

Give the improvement Smith has overseen during his three years at the club, including this season reaching the Heineken Cup semi-finals for the first time, it's not a surprise he won't be allowed to leave ahead of his contract finishing in June 2009.

Smith coached at ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs, Bath and the Ricoh club in Japan and as a player represented Australia and Ireland while also playing for Leinster, Leicester Tigers, Oxford University, Queensland Reds and (in rugby league) Balmain Tigers.

Meanwhile, the IRFU AIB League Disciplinary Committee has ruled on an issue pertaining to the AIB League Division Three playoff game between Monivea and Waterpark on April 19th.

The match was won by Monivea but on foot of objections by Waterpark, the IRFU ruled the Connacht club were guilty of playing an illegal player and of impersonating another on their team sheet.

As a result of this finding, it was decided at the hearing to award the match to Waterpark, who in turn retain their status in AIB League Division Three for next season subject to any appeals lodged in relation to the ruling.

Monivea, when contacted by The Irish Timesyesterday, declined to comment.