Brian Smith - family man and football fanatic

Brian Smith

Former All White and Rotorua Daily Post sports contributor Brian Smith was a family man who was football mad, say friends and family.

Mr Smith died on Christmas Eve in Rotorua aged 72.

He was passionate about football, and had a huge family connection to the sport, with himself and many of his relatives - including former All White captain Ryan Nelsen - representing New Zealand. Mr Smith was capped as an All White in 1967.

Lifelong friend Clive Rennie, who now lives in Wanganui, said they met through football billeting.

"Brian was a very good player and loved his football, he was ambitious in his work and did very well in insurance."

Before moving to Rotorua 15 years ago, Mr Smith had worked for Royal Life Insurance for 25 years in Christchurch and Wellington.

He married the late Sally Smith, who died five years ago, and together they had three children Greg, Jacqui and Steve.

"He was madly in love with mum and was very sad last year as it would have been their 50th wedding anniversary," said daughter Jacqui Alexander.

For his children it didn't matter what they did as long as they gave 100 per cent, she said.

"Once you committed you were committed, you had to stick it out."

He leaves behind four grandchildren; Olivia, Connor, Daniel and Isobella.

Mr Rennie said Mr Smith was passionate about his family.

At Mr Smith's funeral many people spoke of his way with words, said Mrs Alexander.

"He had a high intellect and a good wit...he loved writing and recording stats. Dad was a smart man and his brain never stopped."

As people arrived at the service, sports radio was played.

"Dad never had the radio off, [sports radio] was the soundtrack to my childhood."

Rotorua's Ron Cane, who spoke at Mr Smith's funeral, said he met him in 2004 when Cane was the coach of the Ngongotaha Football Club.

"This gentlemen came up to me after the game and introduced himself as Brian Smith. He started interviewing me about the game that had just taken place and I thought then and there this guy had a great choice of words, he could phrase his questions well.

"Straight away I thought this guy knows about sport."

Mr Cane said after their first meeting the pair built a friendship.

"He was very professional and articulate. He was wide-ranging [in his knowledge of sports], he was bit of an encyclopedia. He represented New Zealand in football."

Mr Cane and Mr Smith would travel to football games all around the North Island.

"We would talk nothing but football all the way there, all the way through the game and all the way back. As he got less mobile it was a pleasure to pick him up and drive him to games and different places."

Mr Smith kept sport alive, particularly the sport of football and cricket in Rotorua, Mr Cane said.

"He was very straight talking in terms of his reporting. He reported what he saw, not what people wanted to hear."