'It gives the players clarity' - Rennie puts an end to speculation over his future
Dave Rennie has finally put to bed speculation around his future. The New Zealander’s contract with Glasgow Warriors was due to finish at the end of the season and he was a name hotly tipped for the Wales head coach job, before his fellow countryman Wayne Pivac got the role.
Rennie steered Glasgow to the Pro14 semi-finals in his first season with the club, and they’re currently top of Conference A.
His CV also includes Super Rugby success with the Chiefs in 2012 and 2013. And despite turnover within the New Zealand coaching set-up with Steve Hansen departing after the 2019 World Cup and a potential role, Rennie is staying put at Scotstoun, signing a contract extension until 2020.
“I’m going to be here for at least another year-and-a-half, possibly longer. It’s been really good, we are really happy,” he said.
“It gives the players clarity around who is going to be here and what it is going to look like.
“We have been able to sign some good young men, retain the majority of the squad and are looking to add a little bit of firepower in certain positions.
“We’ve been doing that for a number of months but there is still a little bit to go.”
At the start of the season and was asked by RugbyPass whether he’d be interested in trying his hand at international level in future.
“I think so. I enjoy the day-to-day coaching and maybe the frustration from an international point of view is that you get a small block and you are pretty reliant on the clubs that the players come from doing a good job, around developing skillsets, doing the conditioning and so on. I really enjoy being on the grass coaching, hence the reason I am still doing it.”
Watch: Dave Rennie discusses international ambitions and Glasgow Warriors at Heineken Champions Cup launch
His immediate focus will be on Benetton in the PRO14 this weekend.
“We’ve had a good week of preparation and are looking forward to the challenge of Benetton away.
“Keiran Crowley has done an excellent job around recruitment and development and they are now a genuine play-off contender.
“Our strength has been our ability to convert opportunities, but we haven’t been clinical enough over the past couple of weeks making more handling errors than in the previous five games. That needs to be better this week.”
Glasgow Warriors team to play Benetton Rugby in the Guinness PRO14, Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Saturday 5 January:
1. Jamie Bhatti (36)
2. Grant Stewart (14)
3. Siua Halanukonuka (22)
4. Tim Swinson (118)
5. Scott Cummings (46)
6. Ryan Wilson (C) (148)
7. Chris Fusaro (155)
8. Adam Ashe (63)
9. George Horne (32)
10. Adam Hastings (21)
11. Niko Matawalu (105)
12. Sam Johnson (43)
13. Stafford McDowall (6)
14. Robbie Nairn (2)
15. Ruairdh Jackson (145)
Replacements
16. Kevin Bryce (18)
17. Alex Allan (82)
18. D’Arcy Rae (54)
19. Rob Harley (198)
20. Matt Smith (22)
21. Nick Frisby (9)
22. Brandon Thomson (15)
23. Lee Jones (80)
Unavailable players: Fraser Brown (knee) Alex Dunbar (thigh), Zander Fagerson (ankle), Stuart Hogg (hip), Peter Horne (knee) Oli Kebble (chest), George Turner (ankle)
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments