Exiting Glasgow Warriors coach Peter Murchie's next club revealed

Kobe Steelers are poised to announce that Glasgow Warriors defence coach Pete Murchie will join them following confirmation of his departure from Scotstoun at the end of the season.

RugbyPass revealed in February that Murchie, 39, a Carlisle-born former Scotland international, would leave at the end of the campaign to link up with Dave Rennie at the Japan Rugby League One outfit next season.

Kobe are third in the Japan Rugby League One Conference A table with 29 points, four behind second-place Shizuoka Blue Revs and 13 behind leaders Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, whom they play early next month.

Murchie was a key part of the Warriors side that lifted a PRO12 title in 2015 and was on the coaching staff when they won the United Rugby Championship title last year by beating the Bulls in Pretoria.

Murchie, who started his coaching career with Stade Nicois and coached Scotland A earlier this season, admitted earlier this week that he was leaving the Warriors with mixed emotions.

"I've been at the club for a long time both as a player and as a coach, and this is home for my family and I. When you have such an emotional bond to not only the club but the city of Glasgow.

“It really does make it an incredibly tough decision to leave. It just felt like it was the right time on my coaching journey and the right time as a family to take up the opportunity.

“I'm excited by the opportunity, but there are obviously mixed emotions. I've said this to the players, but I feel incredibly lucky to have worked with them, and knowing that I've got a couple of months left really narrows the focus.

“I love working with this group of players, coaches and backroom staff, and I want to finish my time here as successfully as possible,” he admitted.