Tony Smith (rugby league, born 1970)

{{short description|English RL coach and former GB & England international rugby league footballer}}

{{for|Australian international coach|Tony Smith (rugby league born 1967)}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Tony Smith

|fullname = Antony Smith{{Cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=sqfYUF9fXtSR1Z8XnAhcmQ&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=27 February 2016|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|7|16|df=y}}

|birth_place = Castleford, England

|death_date =

|weight = {{convert|13|st|5|lb|kg|abbr=on}}

|position = {{rlp|SO|SH|HK}}

|club1 = {{nowrap|Castleford Tigers}}

|year1start = 1988

|year1end = 97

|appearances1 = 195

|tries1 = 90

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 360

|club2 = Wigan Warriors

|year2start = 1997

|year2end = 00

|appearances2 = 85

|tries2 = 49

|goals2 = 0

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 196

|club3 = Hull FC

|year3start = 2001

|year3end = 03

|appearances3 = 48

|tries3 = 26

|goals3 = 0

|fieldgoals3 = 0

|points3 = 104

|teamA = Yorkshire

|yearAstart = 1995

|yearAend = 00

|appearancesA = 1

|triesA = 1

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 4

|teamB = England

|yearBstart = 1995

|yearBend = 00

|appearancesB = 9

|triesB = 5

|goalsB = 0

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 20

|teamC = Great Britain

|yearCstart = 1996

|yearCend = 98

|appearancesC = 5

|triesC = 1

|goalsC = 0

|fieldgoalsC = 1

|pointsC = 5

|coachteam1 = {{nowrap|Wakefield Trinity Wildcats}}

|coachyear1start = 2005

|coachyear1end = 06

|coachgames1 = 25

|coachwins1 = 7

|coachdraws1 = 0

|coachlosses1 = 18

|new = yes

|retired = yes

|source = {{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/tony-smith--wtw-/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Smith&submit=Go&c=England|title=England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk|publisher=englandrl.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208064255/http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Smith&submit=Go&c=England|archivedate=8 February 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Smith&submit=Go&c=GB|title=Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk|publisher=englandrl.co.uk|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018|url-status=bot: unknown|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180331173434/http://www.englandrl.co.uk/player_records?search=Smith&submit=Go&c=GB|archivedate=31 March 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/Tony_Smith__WTW_/summary.html|title=Coach Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}

|updated = 17 February 2018

}}

Antony "Tony" Smith (born 16 July 1970), also known by the nickname "Casper", is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, and coached in the 2000s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and Yorkshire, and at club level for the Castleford Tigers, Wigan Warriors and Hull FC, as a {{rlp|so|sh}} or {{rlp|hk}},{{cite web|url=http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=230|title=Statistics at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk|publisher=thecastlefordtigers.co.uk |date=31 December 2013|accessdate=1 January 2014|url-status=unfit|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216084001/http://www.thecastlefordtigers.co.uk/playerprofile.php?pid=230|archivedate=16 February 2012}} and coached at club level for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

Playing career

While at Wigan Smith won caps for England while at Castleford in the 1995 Rugby League World Cup against France (sub), Fiji, South Africa (sub), Wales, and Australia. Smith was selected to play for England in the 1995 World Cup Final at {{rlp|so}} but Australia won the match and retained the Cup.

He again played for England in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup against Australia, Fiji, Ireland (sub), and New Zealand, and won caps for Great Britain while at Castleford in 1996 against Papua New Guinea (sub), and Fiji (sub), and while at Wigan in 1998 against New Zealand (3 matches).

Tony Smith was a substitute (replacing {{rlp|so}} Grant Anderson at half-time (40-minutes)) in Castleford's 12–28 defeat by Wigan in the 1992 Challenge Cup Final during the 1991–92 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 2 May 1992, in front of a crowd of 77,386.{{cite web|url=http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=3066|title=2nd May 1992: Wigan 28 Castleford 12 (Challenge Cup Final)|publisher=wigan.rlfans.com|date=31 December 2016|accessdate=1 January 2017|archive-date=15 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215030604/http://wigan.rlfans.com/news.php?readmore=3066|url-status=dead}}

Tony Smith played, and scored a try in Castleford's 28–6 victory over Bradford Northern in the 1991 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1991–92 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Sunday 20 October 1991.

Tony Smith played for Wigan at {{rlp|sh}} in their 1998 Super League Grand Final victory over Leeds Rhinos. He played for the Wigan Warriors at {{rlp|so}}, scoring a try in their 2000 Super League Grand Final loss against St. Helens.

Coaching career

Tony Smith is a former coach of Super League club Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. He was appointed in August 2005 after a successful spell as caretaker coach following the sacking of Australian Shane McNally. However, with the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats facing relegation, he was sacked in July 2006 and replaced a few days later by John Kear. He was subsequently Assistant Coach at Featherstone Rovers under head coach David Hobbs.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}