Len Smith

Len Smith (1918–2000) was an Australian representative rugby union and rugby league footballer who played in the 1930s and 1940s. He captained the Kangaroos in two Tests in 1948 and was controversially omitted from the 1948-49 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain.

Rugby union career

Smith played with the Eastern Suburbs RUFC in the 1930s and after making state representative appearance for New South Wales against Queensland, Victoria and the All Blacks he was selected as a Wallaby for the ill-fated 1939 tour of Great Britain. Docking at Southampton the day before World War II was declared, the side left England without playing a game.

Wartime Smith enlisted in the AIF during World War II and served in Palestine, Egypt and Syria before returning home in 1942. In 1948 he was also named New South Wales player of the year.

1948 selection controversy Having just played a key role in the Kangaroos' 3-1 series victory over New Zealand it seemed a mere formality that Smith would be chosen to lead the team of young inexperienced Kangaroos on the end of year 1948 Tour of England. However on the night the side was announced Smith was left out of the party.

Accolades In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Smith was named in the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.

Dual-code international status Regarding the 1939 Wallaby squad, the Whiticker reference records that "the squad played at exhibition match in Bombay on the journey home so that the players could be afforded international status" and consequently refers to Smith as a dual-code international. However, the Pollard reference records that the Wallabies played against a "Gymkhana XV made up of military men and others".

Later life After football Smith became a respected sportswriter establishing Sporting Life magazine. He was a senior administrator in the harness racing industry and worked for the New South Wales Trotting Authority. He was involved in the 1967 establishment of the Miracle Mile event.

Smith died on 25 April 2000 in St George Hospital following bowel cancer surgery.