England rugby league coach Tony Smith has leapt to the defence of Yorkshire towns Castleford and Pontefract after a stinging attack from former Bradford Bulls player Ian Henderson.
The Australian hooker, who will play for Scotland at the World Cup, risked upsetting locals when he said "they've got rotten teeth", they "run around drinking", and have got "big beer bellies".
But Australian-born Smith, who is now a British citizen, says he is being harsh on the residents.
"I'd have to argue against him," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I've got a lot of friends from both those towns and they certainly don't fit that image.
"I think he's being a little harsh on that district, I can assure you that they're not beer swillers."
Henderson's comments appeared in an Australian newspaper and his response when asked where the worst place he had ever lived was less than complimentary.
"A place in England called Castleford, in Yorkshire, up north in the middle of the country. You've got no idea," he said.
"I think that and a town next to it called Pontefract. They rate in the worst towns to live in England, I've heard it rumoured.
"It's dull, always grey, everyone just goes to the pub and drinks themselves silly, there's nothing for young people to do.
"It's really ugly. For someone coming from the coast and moving there it just kills you."
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