Smith outlines an expansive plan

England’s new attack coach Brian Smith has signalled his intent to throw the shackles off the red rose back line just days into his new job.

Smith left his role as head coach at London Irish to join Martin Johnson’s coaching team last week and comes with a reputation for producing exciting teams, having guided the Exiles to a Premiership semi-final and the last four of the Heineken Cup during his tenure at the Madejski stadium.

Now, the former Australia and Ireland pivot faces the unenviable task of sparking a unit that has spluttered since 2003, producing come truly abysmal rugby in the process.

“I want us to threaten the defensive line from every position,” Smith told the RFU.com podcast

“Players want to play an exciting and expansive brand of rugby and they want to win. I believe we can do both those things and that’s the sort of game I’m interested in coaching.

“Things won’t happen overnight but they certainly will happen. By the end of the November Investec Challenge series there will be an England style of game in place that players will have to fit in to. Hopefully that’s an expansive, attacking approach that’s also very effective.

Smith has wasted no time, getting stuck in, spending his first day at Twickenham analysing the impact that the Experimental Law Variations have had in the Southern Hemisphere.

“With the new ELVs there’s a lot happening at the moment,” he said.

“I spent my first day going through footage of the Tri-Nations and Currie Cup games looking at the way teams are deciding to attack and defend under these new laws,” he explained.

“With defences now having to stand five metres back, clearly there’s a bigger opportunity to get ‘go forward’ from the scrum. That’s what the game is about – getting over gain line.

“Outside of the new scrum law, the biggest challenge is what to do from lineout now you can have as many players as you like. It’s interesting times for those who are students of the game.”