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URC champions Glasgow bracing for coach exit
By Neil Fissler
Glasgow Warriors appear to have won their battle to keep boss Franco Smith at Scotstoun but look to be losing one of his loyal lieutenants, Pete Murchie, who is set to leave for Japan.
Smith has another year left to run on his contract and has been linked with Leicester Tigers and Wales in the last month, but Warriors attack coach Nigel Carolan told the Scotsman that the boss isn’t going anywhere.
“He's very coy, and he's committed to Glasgow Warriors. At the moment, as far as we're concerned, he's not going anywhere. He's making massive plans here for the future.
“He has told me his plans are to stay here. At the moment, he's 100 per cent committed to Glasgow Warriors,” admitted former Ireland under-20 boss Carolan, who moved to the Warriors four years ago.
Last weekend, former Italy boss Smith said that he wants to coach international rugby again, and he could have an eye on the Scotland job with Gregor Townsend only under contract until April 2026, a few months before his own deal runs out.
But they are going to have to search for another defence coach, with former Scotland international Murchie looking set to join former Glasgow and Wallabies boss David Rennie at Japan Rugby League One outfit Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
Murchie, 39, was born in Carlisle and was part of the Glasgow coaching team that helped them win the United Rugby Championship title last year by beating the Bulls in Pretoria.
The former Bath, London Welsh, and Glasgow Warriors full-back, who won three Scotland caps, won a PRO12 title-winner in 2015 when he was seen as a key leader in the squad.
He started his coaching career in France with Stade Nicois in 2017 before returning to Scotland as head coach of Ayr and Ayrshire Bulls. He then linked up with Warriors in 2021 and was part of the Scotland A coaching setup last year.
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Latest Comments
England haven’t won any major trophies since 2020. That isn’t solely down to Earl.
Ok so you were just making a non-sequiteur. How helpful!
Earl lost against Australia recently. So did Itoje, Genge, Stuart, Tom Curry, Freeman, Lawrence, and Feyi-Waboso. Presumably you think none of them will start for the Lions?
Go to commentsApology accepted.
It was true actually. Arteta hasn’t won much, nor slot. Pep has of course, and is a few years older. BUT - here’s the clincher: compare his trophy haul when he was THE SAME AGE AS your other examples! Boom. A vast difference exists in the ‘concrete’ examples you gave.
“*Football” Yeah, tell me your English without telling me. I’m Irish and our national sport is a very different code of football, alas the name is already taken. It will always be soccer to me.
The fact you have literally typed that you don’t know much about soccer then attempted to lecture others on it is almost impressive. Post-irony.
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