Dave Rennie very close to new deal with Glasgow Warriors

Head coach Dave Rennie says he is close to finalising a deal which will keep him at Glasgow Warriors for at least 12 more months.

With 27 players understood to be coming out of contract in the summer, the next few months are set to be a busy time in terms of assembling a competitive squad for the 2019-20 campaign, and it will be music to fans’ ears to hear that there is at least going to be some continuity on the coaching front.

“I’ll be here,” stated Rennie, whose current two-year agreement expires at the end of this season. “We’ve pretty much sorted everything. It’s just a case of sorting the paperwork out now.

“From a contracting point of view with the players, everyone wants clarity about what things are going to look like next year, hence the reason we’ve been keen to get things sorted. There are still a few things to sort out, but I’ll definitely be here next year.

Glasgow Warriors head coach Dave Rennie. Picture: Gary Hutchison/SNS/SRU

“We’ve been in discussions for a long time. I’m really enjoying it here. As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, they’re good people so I’m keen to stay longer.”

Rennie was then asked how long he is planning on hanging around. “At least another 12 months, put it that way,” he replied.

The coach, who celebrated his 55th birthday yesterday, was talking after naming his team to play Cardiff Blues at Scotstoun this evening. Peter Horne returns at stand-off and Tommy Seymour is named on the right wing, despite both players having been involved in all three of Scotland’s Test matches so far this Autumn.

“There are a handful of guys who we had already planned would miss next week after the international window, so we’ll give them a chance to freshen up and clear their heads then [ahead of the next two rounds of European matches at the start of December],” added Rennie.

Matt Fagerson, who has had a frustrating month – in which he showed up well for Scotland as a 62nd-minute replacement against Wales, then lasted less than half an hour before retiring with a dead leg against Fiji, and failed to recover in time to face South Africa – is at No 8.

There is also good news on the bench, with Tim Swinson making his first squad appearance of the season after recovering from a broken leg suffered against Argentina on Scotland’s summer tour.