Brian Smith (centre left) played six Tests for the Wallabies before playing nine for Ireland. (Getty Images: Russell Cheyne)
Wallabies prop Angus Bell has paid tribute to Brian Smith as "a great bloke, a great father and a great coach" after the dual-code star's death at 59.
Smith, who played six rugby union Tests for Australia and nine for Ireland, died from cancer.
Smith also played in the NRL for Balmain and Eastern Suburbs and coached rugby union in several countries, also serving as Australia's sevens coach.
Wallabies prop Angus Bell is leading the tributes for dual rugby union international and former NRL star Brian Smith, who has died aged 59.
Smith, who played six Tests for Australia in 1987 and nine for Ireland after switching allegiance, had battled cancer.
Once described by former Wallabies coach Alan Jones as one of the world's most gifted players, Smith was most recently the Head of Sport at Scots College in Sydney, where Bell and many other Wallabies graduated from.
"He was coaching at the Scots school and coached a lot of us coming through the grades and I just wanted to say it's a really sad time," Bell said from Wallabies camp in Townsville on Wednesday.
"We're wishing the best for his wife and kids. He's an avid rugby person and helped a lot of individuals in the squad and in the Wallabies today, so just sending my condolences from both the Wallabies and myself."
Isaac Henry will run the prospect of fresh ink past his wife but is otherwise assured he can make a permanent Wallabies mark after a hard-earned debut in Osaka.
Smith, who also played 43 games for Balmain and Eastern Suburbs from 1991 to 1994, coached Bell at GPS and NSW schoolboys' level when the emerging front-rower was only 16.
"Fair to say that I wouldn't have played as good or anywhere near as good without him," Bell said.
"Me, Jeremy Williams and Will Harris from the (Western) Force were really close with him and he was a great bloke, a great father and a great coach.
After playing schoolboys' rugby for Australia, Smith made his Wallabies debut under Jones in 1987, partnering Nick Farr-Jones in the halves and bagging 18 points from a try, five conversions and a penalty in a 65-18 win over South Korea.
Australian forward Angus Bell – in Wallabies camp in Townsville – paid tribute to his former high school coach and mentor Brian Smith.
(Getty Images: Paul Kane)