Former colleagues and players have paid tribute to longtime rugby writer Wayne Smith, who has died suddenly, aged 69.
Smith covered rugby and Olympic sports – most notably swimming – for News Corp before parting ways with the organisation in 2021. Since then Smith has written a weekly column for the Sydney Morning Herald.
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh told The Roar: “He was one of the best journalists I ever dealt with. Wayne knew the game intimately and was a leader in game analysis and commentary. He will be dearly missed by all in our game and his insights, wisdom and accurate journalism will be difficult to replace.”
“Rugby union and swimming were blessed to have Wayne Smith’s relentless and brilliant writing to chronicle their highest moments, analyse every issue and call out their failings for 50 years,” The Roar expert and long-time colleague Jim Tucker told News Corp on Wednesday.
“It’s incredibly sad ‘Smithy’ won’t have the privileged seat he deserves at the 2032 Olympics after being the first to plant the idea that Brisbane should bid.
“Smithy only knew full speed when chasing a story. If five phone calls had to be made to corroborate a back page story, he’d make 10. You only hope he passed on enough of his craft to enough young journos so they know how fearless and researched they need to be to ever get close to one of the greatest of Australian sports writers.
“If rugby is serious about honouring him, they will ban his pet hate, the rolling maul try, for a full weekend of games.”
Smith was fiercely competitive as a newshound but friendly and helpful to share knowledge too. He had lately been a regular mentor to The Roar’s Rugby Editor Christy Doran.
“He will be incredibly missed. He was such a good bloke,” former Wallabies coach John Connolly told the Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday.
“I met him in 1971, when I was playing for Brothers, so we go back a long way. What he was, he was very much his own man. You were friends with him but he wrote what he thought and said what he meant.
“He was incredibly competitive with other journalists. Nothing upset him more than being scooped on something. He would blow up deluxe.”
John Eales, one of Smith’s favourite subjects as a writer, told the Herald that “Wayne Smith was rugby in Australia.
“He was sharp witted, brave and insightful in all his writing, effortlessly making you laugh while making his point. I’ll miss him a lot. He was a great friend and a great man whose words and memories will live on for all of us who enjoyed them.”
Rugby Australia released a statement saying the sport had been lucky to have Smith writing about the code.
“Wayne Smith was a constant presence in the Australian sports and Rugby media for half a century – a journalist who kept sport, its administrators, and participants honest for decades,” the statement read.
“Renowned for his tenacity in chasing news stories, Wayne was warmly regarded by his colleagues and friends in the media – and was an enthusiastic mentor to many young Rugby and sports journalists later in his career.
“Always unfailingly honest in his views, and committed to his craft throughout a career that covered Australia’s most highly regarded journalism mastheads.
“Australian Rugby is fortunate to have had a journalist of such quality and remarkable passion for the game covering it for such a long time.
“As fans of Rugby, we will all greatly miss Wayne’s contribution to our game – however, we are most thankful to have had it for as long as we did.
“Rugby Australia passes on its most sincere condolences to Wayne Smith’s family and many friends, colleagues and loved ones.”
There was an outpouring of tributes on social media as well.
Rugbynutter
Roar Rookie
Wayne smith was one of the main reasons why I use to buy the Australian to read his column and why when he departed I bought it less. Deeply saddened by his passing as his insights on the game were top notch and will be missed by many.
JC
Roar Rookie
Finding this news hard to process. Wayne Smith always wrote something worth reading, and I’ll never forget his steady, fair reporting during Australian rugby’s horror year in 2919-20. Vale Smithy. We’ll miss you greatly.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Very sad to hear . In his prime . Wayne was along with Spiro Zarvos and Greg Growden one of the best Rugby scribes in our papers . We are lucky to have Geoff , Brett , Jim and H W here sadly missing from the papers . Wayne was fiercely Red and used to list at least 25 Reds players as potential Wallabies every year . He was able to switch his allegiance to the Wallabies once they were selected but still pumped for more Reds . Always good to read his items .
Jim Tucker
Expert
Well said. You can see Growdo smiling now he has a worthy friend and adversary to spar with
Jim Tucker
Expert
Lovely memory. That was Smithy
mused6
Roar Rookie
He was a beacon of the game in a country that is often dominated in the news by other sports. I would always look for his articles to read about rugby, and even until recently he was asking the hard questions that needed answers. Very sad news, WS will be greatly missed.
Brett McKay
Expert
We've lost one of the voices of the game, and it's just sad. :unhappy: Greg Growden's passing a few years ago hit hard, and Wayne's passing will be every bit as hard. The only joy in that is knowing that those two old rugby scribes are back together arguing again...
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
As a young player in the mid to late 70s, reading a young Wayne Smith in the Telegraph on a Thursday gave me further insights as to what to expect on Saturday. Thoughts and prayers with his family.
Bluesfan
Great writer and gone far to young. He along with Greg Growden (also gone to soon) always entertained with their sports writing - with Wayne gone seems like the last of a generation of great rugby sports writers - guess both those writers watched and described the massive changes in rugby from amatuer to professional for both better and worse. RIP
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
I am very very sad to hear this, what a loss.
JB
Roar Rookie
This is a very sad news. Wayne was such a great journalist and his articles always had great depth. I had the pleasure of having many insightful conversations with him in the press box and it was always a delight to share a banter with him. We will be missing him greatly, even his rants about the refereeing during matches which always made me giggle. To his family, I extend my most sincere condolences. RIP Wayne Smith
Big A
Roar Rookie
So long Wayne – i must have read 98% of his articles over the years – always opened up the paper and went straight to his article – some of these media guys don’t really understand the role they play in people’s lives – sadly he is no more. The media space is not what it once was and Wayne’s passing is all the more sadder – i was so much looking forward to reading his insights into what Eddie is about to unleash on us in the lead up to the world cup – sadly we won’t get to read them. My deepest condolences.
peterj
Roar Rookie
Very sad news. Had a hell of a way with words and conducted himself with the utmost integrity.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
Very sad, he was a rugby journo I always enjoyed reading, there was always thought & depth to his articles.
robbo999
Roar Rookie
Great sadness in hearing this. As someone of a very similar vintage, it is much too young. He was the principal reason I used to buy the Australian and his leaving was one of the reasons I stopped (except for the Weekend). I had the great pleasure of spending a few hours with him shortly after he left the Australian when the Rebels invited him down to a game (v the Brumbies if memory serves) as a thank you for the support he had shown for the Rebels over the years. At the start of the game he wandered out of the function room and sat in an empty seat which just happened to be two away from me and nobody between. After introducting myself and thanking him for him for his body of work which I had been enjoying for some 20 years, he was happy to chat about rugby in general and the game in front of us. A couple of the best hours I have spent at a rugby match. Even if neither of us could remember the name of that Brumbies sub - "Bailey whatisname". Vale Wayne and condolences to his family and those who knew him well.
Simoc
Roar Rookie
That is a big loss. Wayne Smith was an outstanding journalist and pretty much the voice of Rugby for a long period.
Kashmir Pete
Roar Guru
If our nation's political journalists were half as good as Wayne was as a rugby journalist, Australia would likely be a much improved country. Cheers KP