Brian Smith quits England coaching role

25/11/2011

Those enjoying corporate hospitality at Six Nations games at Twickenham may have found much has changed by the time England take the field for their games against Wales and Ireland in the new year, with a number of senior personnel changes.

With the Rugby Football Union (RFU) seeking a new chief executive and a head coach to replace Martin Johnson, Brian Smith has added to the potential for transformation by resigning from his attack coach position.

Smith said he would not seek a renewal of his contract, having been appointed in July 2008.

He took the opportunity to praise Johnson, stating that he had been "fantastic to work for" and someone who had "maintained the utmost integrity".

Martin Johnson returned the praise, stating that England's record in the last 12 months of scoring 37 tries while only conceding 12 "shows what an impact he [Smith] has made".

The potential overhaul of English rugby may be a substantial one after a leaked report into the national side's World Cup campaign was highly critical of many aspects of the way the team was run and behaved.

An RFU investigation is seeking to discover who was responsible for the leak.

By Liz Johnstone