Not exactly unexpected, but confirmed:

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/8361065.stm[/url

Thoughts on who to succeed him?

Bobbie Goulding?

Potter and noble perfect partnership, we will have smith.

I like the way Iestyn Harris talks about the game and he had his Welsh team playing good rugby. It wont happen but Im trying to think of a young smart thinking British based coach who fits the bill and I cant.

John Kear will get a mention but I dont know theres just something about him that doesnt inspire me.
I dont know I cant think of anyone that fits the bill.

mcclennan at quins?

McDermott or have Quins pinched Leeds coach



Justin Morgan for me. I don't think theres a good enough English candidate.

I thought smith was the correct man for the job when he took over and proved that with a 3-0 test win over the kiwis in his 1st year but it seemed to go down hill from there.

To be honest I don't think we are in any better shape than now than when noble was in charge.

The is no doubt smith is a good club coach as his record proves but think he lost the plot with his squad selection this year.

If we want a English guy to be next England coach then only noble and kear are any where near good enough.

Just hope that idiot at bulls don't get the job.

I do,Smith has given a number of young players a go In this series and they'll all be better players for It.

Ian Millward, he'd create a team who has set moves to attack the line. Need to attack Aus not set out to stop them.

When millward was at saints I always thought he would have been a good coach for England but not so sure now.

I can't think of anyone to be honest

I may jump on the Gooner's band wagon of bring Quasimodo home

Only a matter of time before smith went full time at dire tbh.

No idea who next coach should be, but i know for definate it shouldnt be mcnamara.

Why on earth would he be interested in that job when he's got a top job in a better sport where he'll earn more?

What squad/team would you have picked?

There isn't an English coach good enough and most of the Aussies over here wouldn't get a main coaching job in Aus.

It most probably wont happen but I'd like to see us go for a big name Aussie coach of the stature of Sheens or Bennet .

As well as being England's coach he could be a sort of coaching supremo with a brief to oversee coaching and player development of the game in general, a sort of coacher of coaches.

A squad with proven centres

The problem with your theory is that at some point, we need to move on. Shenton did well, as did Bridge.

Shenton I can see developing into a fine centre. Bridge will never be more than cannon fodder there,

I think we do so need that. Someone to develop the coaches. It would be an excellent move but it won't happen.

There are hopes for those centre positions.

Michael Lawrence, Craig Hall, Tom Briscoe, Kallum Watkins and maybe Darrell Goulding.

If we can get Karl Pryce fit there's another.

You see, you start off okay but just cant resist trolling.

Goulding was playing well up until his injury.

A fit, confident Karl Pryce could be the best English centre in Superleague.

However, that has been a long way off in the last two seasons. I'm willing to give him another year and a proper pre-season training.

I know someone who plays alongside him at Wigan who says Pryces skill levels are as good as anyone he has played with or against, but his fitness is not what it should be, basically because he has missed the last two pre seasons training.

As I said I'm quite willing to give him another season.
He's still only 23 years of age, so it's worth a shout.

He'd need a heart transplant first though.

Why did he miss last seasons pre-season?

According to Wigan fans it was the salary cap stopping playing at the end of the season before and he played against Warrington in the xmas period friendly.

Give it up and face facts he's a dreadful signing, that awarding a contract extension to is the dumbest decision inthe history of Super League (and there's plenty of competition).

He was still recovering from his injury. It's nothing to do with the salary cap, he's actually been on Wigans books for two seasons but did not play at all on the first due to non recovery.

It amazes me how anyone can just write him off, he was top try scorer in the reserve league last season but really struggled fitness wise.

Almost every time after he ran he would spend the next couple of minutes doing stretching exercises.

How much is down to lack of confidence I don't know, but this season will be his final chance at Wigan, for the good of Rugby League I hope he gets his fitness and confidence back.

I hope he fulfils his potential, England need a big powerful centre and fast