TOWNSEND FITS THE BILL FOR HARLEQUINS
GLASGOW Warriors are bracing themselves for an approach from Harlequins for their highly rated head coach Gregor Townsend. The Aviva Premiership outfit are looking for a replacement for director of rugby Conor O’Shea, with the man who led Glasgow to the Pro12 title last season high on their list. Townsend, who played 82 times for Scotland and had a major role in the 1997 British and Irish Lions Test win over South Africa, is hugely respected in England. And the ambitious 42-year-old may feel the time is right to move on following his success with the Warriors — but losing him would be a huge blow to the club that he has helped transform. The hunt for a successor to O’Shea, who is taking over as head coach of Italy in the summer, is being led by former All Black
captain and Harlequins director Sean Fitzpatrick, who is a big fan of Townsend’s coaching abilities and who has been involved in a coaching programme with him in the past.
It was Townsend who convinced Fitzpatrick to take part in a special mentoring programme for young Scottish talent back in 2008 and there remains a mutual respect between the pair.
Fitzpatrick has been impressed by the expansive rugby played by Glasgow since Townsend took over nearly four years ago and it is understood he feels he would be a perfect fit for Harlequins.
Townsend’s stock has remained high ever since he led Glasgow to the title last season with a victory in the Final over Munster.
A win over the Scarlets in Llanelli tomorrow will all but secure the Warriors’ place in the end-of-season play-offs for the third year in a row under the former Scotland captain.
Harlequins would have to buy out the final year of Townsend’s contract at Glasgow, which runs until the summer of 2017, if they want to secure his services.
That is not out of the question as the SRU, who fund both Glasgow and Edinburgh, let Bath buy out the final year of David Denton’s contract at the capital club earlier this season. They have also allowed Racing 92 to buy out the remaining 12 months of Glasgow second-row Leone Nakarawa’s deal.
Sportsmail columnist Andy Nicol, who described the Warriors head coach as ‘the hottest coaching property in European rugby’ after the Pro12 league win, expected top clubs to come after Townsend’s services.
‘He ticks so many boxes for the big clubs in England and France because he has played in both countries,’ said Nicol last year.
‘These big clubs crave success. They strive to win trophies and Townsend delivered last season when he guided Warriors to that memorable win in Belfast to secure the Guinness Pro12.
‘It was the game that defined him as a coach. Glasgow produced a very “un-Scottish” performance to blow Munster away playing fast, multifaceted rugby with purpose and quality.
Nicol believes Townsend is a perfect example of the intelligent, modern-day, relatively young coach.
‘Gregor is a very intelligent person and he has brought this intelligence to his coaching, in the way that he sets his teams up and also how he deals with the players,’ said Nicol.
‘He has one of the best rugby brains I have ever experience.’
Meanwhile, up to 20 members of the Scarlets’ playing squad are suffering with a stomach complaint.
Yesterday’s training session was cancelled as a result, but head coach Wayne Pivac is hopeful the majority of them will recover in time for Glasgow’s
“Gregor ticks so many boxes for big clubs”