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Rugby Union

Smith calls for "exciting and expansive" England

17/07/2008

New attack coach Brian Smith has claimed he will have the England rugby union team playing "an exciting and expansive brand of rugby".

The former London Irish director of rugby was appointed by new England team manager Martin Johnson to fill the one remaining spot on his coaching roster earlier this week - joining defence coach Mike Ford and forwards coach John Wells.

And Smith has given England fans hope that he will inspire the side to be more adventurous, after several critics rounded on former coaches Brian Ashton and Andy Robinson for being too cautious.

Speaking on the rfu.com podcast, Smith said: "I want us to threaten the defensive line from every position.

"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."

Smith is already targeting the four autumn internationals against the Pacific Islands, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand to develop this new style.

And he said he hopes that, by the beginning of the 2009 Six Nations, this will be ingrained in the England elite squad.

"Things won't happen overnight but they certainly will happen," he explained.

"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."