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England coach Tony Smith today launched a scathing attack on the standard of rugby league played in Australia. Speaking on the UK’s most popular league radio show, Aussie Smith was commenting on the recent State of Origin series.
During this discussion, he fired the opening salvo in what looms as a nuclear war-of-words with Australian coach Ricky Stuart as both sides’ preparations for October’s World Cup shift up a gear.
Asked by James Deighton, host of BBC Radio Leeds’ popular Rugby League Show, what England’s tactics will be to combat “the likes of Inglis and co”, Smith’s controversial remarks were obviously motivated by a desire to ruffle more than a few feathers south of the equator.
“I watched all of the State-of-Origin games, and I was quite disappointed,” replied Smith. “I find Australian rugby league quite boring in comparison to what we play here in Super League. I think we should be quite proud of what we are producing in the UK.”
Smith, who played for the Illawarra Steelers and St George before moving into coaching, went on to suggest that, so great was the standard of play in the UK, the big name Australian players lured to England by the promise of hefty pay cheques were finding it difficult to adjust to the demands of the English game.
‘Most overseas players are better in their second year, because there’s a lot of differences both on and off the field. Culturally it’s different. I much prefer the style that we play here in England.”
Smith, younger brother of Newcastle Knights coach Brian, has had a meteoric rise through the coaching ranks – starting as coach of lowly Huddersfield, before moving on for his successful stint at high-flying Leeds.
Last year he was appointed national coach, where he immediately tasted success as the mastermind of Great Britain’s whitewash of the New Zealand 2007 Tourists.
Whether England will win the World Cup, yet alone reach the final is debatable.
However, Smith’s recent international success, combined with Leed’s impressive World Club Challenge victory (against an admittedly Smith/Inglis-less Storm) must make the England team genuine contenders to lift the trophy in October.
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