Ollie Smith: 'I want to win things with this club'

Ollie Smith is reinvigorated and desperate to taste United Rugby Championship glory with Glasgow this season after serious injury denied him involvement in their 2024 triumph.

The versatile 25-year-old back was stopped in his tracks when he suffered ACL damage in December 2023, just months after featuring in three of Scotland’s four matches at the World Cup in France.

Smith was sidelined for the entirety of 2024 and missed out on his club’s URC triumph, but he has re-established himself as a regular starter this season in a Warriors side currently top of the table.

“I missed out on a long period of rugby a couple of seasons ago,” he said ahead of his team’s double-header in South Africa against Lions and Stormers. “For me, just to be playing regular rugby is what I’ve been missing so much.

“This season has been great for me to string some games together. I feel really confident. It’s good to get so many games under the belt. I’m enjoying my rugby. We’re playing a good style of rugby which suits the backs.

“You just kind of grow in confidence and grow and grow and grow, which is what I needed really off the back of not playing for a year.”

After last weekend’s Champions Cup exit at the hands of Toulon, Glasgow’s full focus is on making the most of the opportunity they have given themselves by soaring clear at the top of the URC table.

“I want to win things with this club,” said Smith. “It’s something that I’ve been wanting to do since I was a kid, coming out of school as well. That’s the motivation for me now, to be part of something special at this club.

“I believe the squad we have is really special and we can do something special again. We’ve set ourselves up for this. We’re now in such a good position and we deserve to take something away from that.”

Meanwhile, Edinburgh have continued the revamp of their backroom staff for next season by appointing Tim Sampson as their new attack coach.

The 49-year-old will arrive on a two-year deal from Fijian Drua in the summer and is the second Australian to be added to Sean Everitt’s coaching team after it was announced on Tuesday that Brad Davis will join as defence coach from Queensland Reds.

“Tim is an outstanding coach and a fantastic addition to our staff,” said head coach Everitt.

“He has been a head coach at Super Rugby level, he has worked across multiple competitions, and right now he is running one of the most exciting attacking systems in Super Rugby Pacific with the Drua.

“What really excites me is the combination of Tim and Brad Davis coming in together. Between them, they bring enormous experience and a senior presence that will add a huge amount of quality to our environment. I believe this coaching group will drive us to the next level, and I can’t wait to work with them both next season.”