Danny Wilson intends to lead Glasgow Warriors next season despite heaviest defeat in 25 years

Danny Wilson made it clear that he intends to lead Glasgow Warriors into next season despite Saturday’s catastrophic 76-14 loss to Leinster in Dublin, which spelled the end of his team’s United Rugby Championship campaign and set up a summer of soul searching for his beleaguered squad.

Glasgow head coach Danny Wilson branded the 76-14 defeat to Leinster 'unacceptable'. (Photo by Simon Wootton / SNS Group)

This was the team’s heaviest defeat in any competition since they were hammered 90-19 by Leicester Tigers in the Heineken Cup in 1997, and the only other time they have lost by a wider margin was when they lost 76-9 against AS Montferrand in 1996.

Warriors have now lost five games on the bounce with the last two performances in particular – they were well beaten 28-11 by Edinburgh last time out – setting alarm bells ringing.

“We all take responsibility for this game,” said Wilson. “I do believe we were on the right track and our results over the season were better than last season. We’ve had some big wins this season, but this defeat is what is going to be on everyone’s minds for the next few months.

“I understand how that feels for everybody. I can assure you that everyone in the changing room is fully aware that we’ve let a lot of people down with our performance today. In our last two games we’ve dropped off a cliff.

“It’s extremely, extremely disappointing. It’s an unacceptable score-line and an unacceptable performance. The players have said the same and every single one of us has to take responsibility … me ultimately, but everyone involved in what was out there today.

“We conceded 40 points during two yellow-cards,” he added. “We can’t be playing Leinster with 14 men for any period. You cannot be passive against Leinster. We sat off them because we were numbers down.

“We fell apart at the end with conceding more tries. It’s very hard, very painful at the moment. We need took at that and improve dramatically going into next season.”

Of course, the decision on whether he is involved next year could well be taken out of Wilson’s hands.

Scottish Rugby Chief Executive Mark Dodson has a track record of ruthlessness in the acquisition and disposal of key personnel within the organisation, and if a fan mutiny threatens season ticket-sales then there is a good chance he will act decisively.

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