London Irish must overcome Smith ban

London Irish’s hopes of a Guinness Premiership and European Challenge Cup double were dealt a major blow last night when director of rugby Brian Smith was banned for three weeks.

Smith pleaded guilty to abusing match officials and was also fined £2,000 (€2,900) after a marathon four-and-a-half-hour disciplinary hearing in Bristol.

The suspension prevents him doing any match-day coaching for Irish’s Premiership semi-final on May 13 and the European final against Gloucester at the Twickenham Stoop a week later.

Smith is banned from accessing all technical areas, including the tunnel, the changing rooms and the touchline. He was also ordered to pay £250 (€364) in costs.

The Australian was charged with “conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union and the game” following a Guinness A League game between the Exiles and Gloucester on March 27.

He had been furious at referee Nick Williams and touchjudge James Minards over their handling of the second team game at Gloucester, which London Irish ’A’ won 12-7 in appalling conditions.

The club originally vowed to launch a robust defence – but in the end Smith can count himself fortunate the penalty was not more severe.

The minimum entry-level suspension for a coach found guilty of verbally abusing match officials is six weeks, reduced only by mitigating circumstances.

The precedents did not bode well for Smith or the club. Last year, Northampton boss Budge Pountney was suspended for six weeks and fined £2,000 (€2,900) for calling referee Steve Lander “a disgrace” in a post-match press conference.

And in 2001, Dean Ryan was handed a four-week ban and a similar fine for labelling referee Tim Ryan as “inadequate“.

But should Irish win their Premiership semi-final, Smith’s ban will have expired in time for the Twickenham Grand Final on May 27.