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In-demand Dave Rennie gives Glasgow a new-season boost
Glasgow Warriors’ Dave Rennie has signed a one-year contract extension, a development that will see him remain at Scotstoun until at least June 2020 and bring to an end the speculation that he was being lined up for a Test team move away from the club at the end of this season, possibly to Australia.
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The Lower Hutt native – who took over from Gregor Townsend ahead of the 2017/18 campaign – has led the Warriors to two consecutive appearances in the Guinness PRO14 final series, in addition to a Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Saracens this season.
With his side sitting top of the Guinness PRO14 try-scoring charts, Rennie’s philosophy of attacking rugby has won plaudits from across Europe.
The former Chiefs boss has also been active in bringing young Scottish players to the fore, with Adam Hastings, George Horne, Stafford McDowall and Grant Stewart amongst those to have flourished during his time in charge.
A former centre, Rennie began his coaching career with Wellington in 1999, before taking charge of the all-conquering New Zealand under-20s side that claimed three consecutive world titles between 2008 and 2010.
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Success at the Chiefs followed as he led the Hamilton-based franchise to back-to-back Super Rugby titles in 2012 and 2013, before making the journey north to Glasgow in 2017.
Glasgow sit top of Conference A in the Guinness PRO14 with two regular season games left to play – against Leinster in Dublin this Saturday and at home to Edinburgh on April 27.
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Speaking to glasgowwarriors.org, Rennie said: “I’ve really enjoyed my first two years in Glasgow. It’s a different challenge for me and there are really good people at the club, so it was an easy decision to stay.
CONFIRMED | The gaffer is going nowhere | ?? Dave Rennie has signed a contract extension with Glasgow Warriors ??? pic.twitter.com/HBxCvr3T8l
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) April 9, 2019
“We didn’t quite get to where we wanted last season, but we’ve got a better side this season and the squad we’re building will be even better next season. I’m really keen to be a part of that.
“We’re going to have a lot of guys away at the Rugby World Cup and then our Scotland players will play in the Six Nations, so we won’t see a lot of those men, but we’ve got good depth and it’ll be a great opportunity for others during that period, so there is so reason why we can’t kick on.
“It’s an exciting time for the club and I really appreciate the support we are getting from Scottish Rugby, as we continue to build and develop our squad.”
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Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson said: “Dave is doing a great job in Glasgow and we’re delighted he is staying to continue building Glasgow Warriors into one of the top teams in Europe.
“He has helped develop a number of young players over the last couple of years and got them into the knockout stages of the Heineken Champions Cup and Guinness PRO14. We’re looking forward to seeing the team continue to develop under Dave and his coaching team next season.”
With just 2?? games left of the regular season this is how the @PRO14Official Conference A looks? pic.twitter.com/3lob7WQlPU
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) April 6, 2019
Glasgow managing director, Nathan Bombrys added: “We’re very pleased that Dave has extended his stay at Glasgow. He’s been great to work with and you can see that the players really enjoy playing for him. It has been rewarding to see our players really blossom under his coaching.
“Dave and his coaches led us to our second-ever Heineken Champions Cup quarter final earlier this season and now into the Guinness PRO14 final series for the second consecutive year.
“Dave comes to work every day hungry to win trophies for this club and I know he’s absolutely focussed on the immediate task of securing a home semi-final over these next two games.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
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