Hull FC

Ex-Hull FC boss Tony Smith makes major Leeds Rhinos regret admission

by
Ollie Mitchell
November 11, 2024

Former England and Great Britain head coach Tony Smith has made a major admission, just months after losing the Hull FC job.

The Australian has had a number of roles in British rugby league, with over 600 games coached between Huddersfield Giants, Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves, Hull KR and Hull FC.

Hugely successful with the Rhinos, he led the club through their ‘golden years’ of the noughties before taking the role of head coach for England and Great Britain in 2007.

He was, during this time, still coaching some of his Rhinos players, including Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire and Keith Senior.

Most recently, he had the Hull FC role before being sacked mid-way through the 2024 season, with Simon Grix taking interim charge for the side that eventually finished second from bottom, above London Broncos only on points difference.

Tony Smith makes major England admission following Hull FC exit

Credit: Imago Images

Speaking to Leeds Rhinos media this week, Smith said about swapping Headingley for the England/GB job: “I was ready for a different challenge and I thought that the GB and England thing would be a good step for me.

“On reflection, it probably wasn’t in terms of how much time you get to coach.

“I missed the week-to-week, day-to-day, the relationship building, I really missed that while I was doing that job because you got to coach about three, four games a year, whereas I’ve been with you guys (Leeds Rhinos) most weeks except for about six weeks that you have at the end of the season.

“Some of them were really strong bonds with people. I missed it.”

He continued: “A few years later after I did that, I must say, I was looking at you guys going ‘oh, I’m not sure I made the right decision’.

“I’m sure it was for the club, but for me personally, I looked back and went – ‘I should have stretched out a few more with the Rhinos. I should’ve stayed a bit longer’.”

He’s currently without a club, but will surely be desperate to get back into a coaching role.