Former Ireland and Australia international Brian Smith has passed away at the age of 59 after a battle with cancer.

Born in Queensland, Australia, Smith first represented the Wallabies in 1987, earning six caps for them and playing in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in New Zealand that year at just 21, where they finished fourth.

He then moved to England to study at Oxford University, where he began playing for Ireland from 1989. The fly-half went on to earn a further nine caps for Ireland before making the switch to Rugby League back in Australia in 1991, where he finished out his playing career in the other code.

After retiring, Smith became a rugby union coach. He worked in Japan with the Ricoh Rugby club, his native Australia with New South Wales, the Brumbies, Eastern Suburbs and the Australian representative 7s team. He then worked in England with Bath Rugby and as Director of Rugby at London Irish.

It was during his time at London Irish that he was touted as a potential replacement for Eddie O’Sullivan as Ireland Head Coach after the Cork man’s departure in 2008.

Brian Smith did work in Test Rugby later that year, though, joining Martin Johnson’s coaching ticket at England, where he worked as Attack Coach until his departure after the tumultuous 2011 Rugby World Cup.

He later coached at the Scots College in New South Wales.

One of his former players at this time and former Ulster star Angus Bell paid tribute to Smith.

‘I just wanted to touch on the passing of Brian Smith, Wallabies (cap number) 659’, Bell said at a Wallabies press conference.

‘He was coaching at the Scots school and coached a lot of us coming through the grades. I was 16, and it is fair to say I wouldn’t have played anywhere near as good without him. Me, (Wallabies lock) Jeremy Williams and Will Harris from the Force were really close with him. He was a great bloke, a great father and a great coach. Very sad.

‘I just wanted to say it’s a really sad time, and we’re wishing the best for his wife and kids. He was an avid rugby person and helped a lot of individuals in the squad and in the Wallabies today. Just sending my condolences.’