Latest news with #Scotstoun
Scotsman
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Ex-Scotland squad man set to face Gregor Townsend's side in tour opener
Cole Forbes of Maori All Blacks scores the team's first try during the win over Japan in Tokyo. | Getty Images Versatile in back in try-scoring form for Māori All Blacks Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Covid denied Cole Forbes a Scotland cap back in 2021 and now the versatile back looks set to line up against Gregor Townsend's side on their summer tour. New Zealand-born Forbes was a try-scorer in the Māori All Blacks' 53-20 win over Japan in Tokyo on Saturday and is expected to play again this weekend when the Māori host Scotland in Whangārei. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If circumstances hadn't intervened the 25-year-old could have been wearing dark blue in the tour opener at Semenoff Stadium. Forbes arrived in Scotland in February 2021 and spent almost two-and-a-half years with Glasgow Warriors. He was called into the Scotland squad after just five matches for the Scotstoun club. Cole Forbes of Maori All Blacks scores the team's first try during the win over Japan in Tokyo. | Getty Images The full-back/wing from Pukekohe was one of 17 uncapped players selected four years ago for a summer series which was supposed to begin with an A international against England and continue with Test matches in Romania and Georgia. All three games ended up being cancelled as Covid spread through the Scotland camp. Forbes, who qualifies for Scotland through his grandfather from Aberdeen, was released by the Warriors at the end of the 2022-23 season and returned to his former club, Bay of Plenty, on New Zealand's North Island, to play in the National Provincial Championship. He flourished back home, was called up by the Blues and helped the Auckland-based franchise win last season's Super Rugby Pacific final. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Representative honours have followed, with Forbes selected for the Māori All Blacks. He is of Ngāti Awa descent, a Māori iwi (tribe) centred in the eastern Bay of Plenty region. Cole Forbes playing for Glasgow Warriors against the Sharks during a URC match at Scotstoun in October 2021. | Getty Images 'It was a dream come true playing for that team, representing your heritage and culture,' Forbes said after his Māori debut last year. 'It's something I'm proud of.' Forbes said he struggled with the Scottish winters during his time at Glasgow and he also believes his game better suited to southern hemisphere rugby but he didn't entirely rule out a return north.
Scotsman
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Ex-Scotland squad man set to face Gregor Townsend's side in tour opener
Cole Forbes of Maori All Blacks scores the team's first try during the win over Japan in Tokyo. | Getty Images Versatile in back in try-scoring form for Māori All Blacks Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Covid denied Cole Forbes a Scotland cap back in 2021 and now the versatile back looks set to line up against Gregor Townsend's side on their summer tour. New Zealand-born Forbes was a try-scorer in the Māori All Blacks' 53-20 win over Japan in Tokyo on Saturday and is expected to play again this weekend when the Māori host Scotland in Whangārei. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If circumstances hadn't intervened the 25-year-old could have been wearing dark blue in the tour opener at Semenoff Stadium. Forbes arrived in Scotland in February 2021 and spent almost two-and-a-half years with Glasgow Warriors. He was called into the Scotland squad after just five matches for the Scotstoun club. Cole Forbes of Maori All Blacks scores the team's first try during the win over Japan in Tokyo. | Getty Images The full-back/wing from Pukekohe was one of 17 uncapped players selected four years ago for a summer series which was supposed to begin with an A international against England and continue with Test matches in Romania and Georgia. All three games ended up being cancelled as Covid spread through the Scotland camp. Forbes, who qualifies for Scotland through his grandfather from Aberdeen, was released by the Warriors at the end of the 2022-23 season and returned to his former club, Bay of Plenty, on New Zealand's North Island, to play in the National Provincial Championship. He flourished back home, was called up by the Blues and helped the Auckland-based franchise win last season's Super Rugby Pacific final. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Representative honours have followed, with Forbes selected for the Māori All Blacks. He is of Ngāti Awa descent, a Māori iwi (tribe) centred in the eastern Bay of Plenty region. Cole Forbes playing for Glasgow Warriors against the Sharks during a URC match at Scotstoun in October 2021. | Getty Images 'It was a dream come true playing for that team, representing your heritage and culture,' Forbes said after his Māori debut last year. 'It's something I'm proud of.' Forbes said he struggled with the Scottish winters during his time at Glasgow and he also believes his game better suited to southern hemisphere rugby but he didn't entirely rule out a return north.
Scotsman
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
'The longer he stays, the better' - Franco Smith urged to remain with Glasgow Warriors
Praise for boss who gets the best out of Scotstoun squad Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Franco Smith is contracted for another year at Glasgow Warriors and Ollie Smith hopes the South African stays beyond that point and builds on the success he has already achieved with the club. The URC-winning coach's future has become a hot topic. He was linked with Leicester Tigers before Geoff Parling was appointed and has also been touted as a future coach of both Wales and Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Alex Williamson, Scottish Rugby's chief executive, is in favour of maintaining the status quo and wants Gregor Townsend, Franco Smith and Sean Everitt to remain in post at Scotland, Glasgow and Edinburgh, respectively. Franco Smith, head coach of Glasgow Warriors, has a year remaining on his contract. | Getty Images An emotional Smith, speaking after the Warriors' lost their URC crown to Leinster in the semi-final in Dublin this month, said he needed time to 'reflect a little bit' on his future after three years at the helm. The coach had previously expressed annoyance at the departure of some of his senior overseas players, with Henco Venter, Sebastian Cancelliere and JP du Preez all leaving at the end of the season. Tom Jordan and Jack Mann are also moving on, to Bristol and Gloucester. His namesake, Ollie, said he could understand his boss's frustration. 'He's the same with us as he is with the press,' said the full-back who is part of the Scotland squad which this week departed for New Zealand for the summer tour. 'He's very honest. He'll take the blame when he needs to and he'll also tell us when we're doing something wrong. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Love having him at Glasgow 'It's been really hard for us at the end of this season because there are so many good people leaving. Like TJ [Tom Jordan], who has been instrumental in our success; guys like Seb [Cancelliere] - a massive part in that cup run last year. He was huge in the play-offs. 'It's hard to replace these guys, but we're looking forward to the challenge and I think Franco is the same. He's given a chance to some people and next season is another opportunity to do that. 'Obviously we don't know what goes on behind closed doors, but we love having him at Glasgow. He pushes us and he gets the best out of us and he has done for the last three years, so the longer he stays, the better for us. 'He's instilled a real belief in the squad which is good, because you need that if you're going to have any success.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ollie Smith has not played for Scotland since the 2023 Rugby World Cup. | AFP via Getty Images Ollie Smith, who has not played for Scotland since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after rupturing knee ligaments, returned to the Glasgow side in the second half of the season and is looking forward to vying with Harry Paterson and Kyle Rowe for the full-back role on the tour as the national team take on Māori All Blacks, Fiji and Samoa. With Blair Kinghorn on Lions duty, the Scotland 15 jersey is up for grabs but Ollie Smith is also a contender to play at 13, the position he grew up playing. 'Any involvement I'll be happy with,' said Smith who played five URC games at outside centre for Glasgow after Christmas.
STV News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Rory Darge signs new deal to extend stay at Warriors until 2028
Scotland international Rory Darge has signed a new deal with Glasgow Warriors. The 25-year-old has extended his stay at Scotstoun until 2028 by putting pen to paper on a three-year contract. Darge was named Scotland captain for the upcoming Pacific Tour earlier this week and has become one of European rugby's most consistent performers in the last few seasons. Since joining the Warriors in 2021 he has established himself as a fixture in the back row of Franco Smith and Gregor Townsend's teams. His performances earned him a hat-trick of accolades at the end of his first full season at Scotstoun, taking home the Player of the Season, Players' Player of the Season, and Test Player of the Season prizes at the club's annual awards dinner. The North Berwick RFC product has made 67 appearances for the Warriors to date, including playing an integral role in the club's run to the 2023/24 BKT United Rugby Championship title. Darge made 14 appearances across the title-winning campaign, including starting at openside in all three playoff matches to help his side lift the trophy at Loftus Versfeld last June. He was also an ever-present for Scotland at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, featuring in all four of his nation's matches. He then served as co-captain alongside Finn Russell for the 2024 Six Nations campaign. After the new deal was announced on Friday, he said: 'It was fairly straightforward, really. 'I love my time in Glasgow and the club is the best place for me to be just now – I'm loving my rugby and this is the best possible place for me to keep developing. 'The competition at Scotstoun is something that's definitely played a role in continuing to develop me, particularly this season with how well the young guys that came in and played. Everyone that came in took their opportunity really well, which is a testament to this environment and the coaching that we get, and that only bodes well for the future of this club. 'I've really started to enjoy the leadership role over the last season or so, both for Scotland and for Glasgow – I've enjoyed being able to support Steyno [Kyle Steyn] on and off the field, and it's an exciting part of the game for me. 'I'm really looking forward to the next few years – we've got a great playing group building here, as well as a really strong coaching group. I'm excited to see what Scott [Forrest] and Roddy [Grant] will bring – Scott's been great since he came in last year, and I'm looking forward to working with Roddy, who was someone I grew up watching and looking to emulate. It's an exciting time to be a Warrior and I'm looking forward to being a part of it.' Head coach Franco Smith added: 'Rory has developed into one of the best in his position in Europe, and we still believe that he is only scratching the surface of his potential. 'His work in both attack and defence makes him an invaluable asset for both club and country; his statistics speak for themselves and only serve to underline his quality. 'He has developed into a leader within our environment over the last few seasons, and being named as Scotland captain is a well-deserved reflection of this development. 'He is someone who embodies what it means to be a Warrior, and we look forward to continuing to work with him over the coming seasons.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Glasgow Warriors announce significant coach update as two major appointments made
Scotstoun outfit start to make plans for upcoming campaign Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Glasgow Warriors have confirmed their assistant coaching team for the 2025/26 campaign. Attack coach Nigel Carolan has agreed a new contract with the Scotstoun side, while he will be joined by two new members of staff in Roddy Grant and Scott Forrest to mitigate for the departure of defence coach Pete Murchie. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Carolan, Grant and Forrest will assist head coach Franco Smith for next season, with the Warriors having reached the semi-finals of the United Rugby Championships having lost to Leinster in Dublin. Smith left some doubt over his long-term future at Glasgow, saying he would take time to reflect. He led the team to the URC title in South Africa a year ago. Roddy Grant has joined the Glasgow Warriors coaching staff. | SNS Group In terms of keeping continuity, Carolan has been with Warriors since 2021 and speaking after signing his new contract, the Irishman said: 'I'm pleased to be able to extend my contract with the club – I've really enjoyed my time at Scotstoun so far, and I'm excited to continue on the journey that this club is on. 'We've got a strong group as we build towards next season, with a mix of established internationals, players looking to push on to that next level, and some exciting new talent coming through. 'I'm looking forward to being a part of it and continuing to build towards the new campaign – the atmosphere that the Warrior Nation created in the win over the Stormers a couple of weeks ago shows the passion with which this club is held by everyone connected with Glasgow Warriors.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Forrest knows Warriors well A former Scotland 7s captain, Rutherglen-born Forrest officially joins the club's coaching team after being involved with the Glasgow Warriors academy during the 2024/25 campaign, working alongside Shade Munro. The 40-year-old served as head coach for Great Britain's women's 7s squad at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, having previously held the same position for the Scotland Women's 7s squad. Forrest will join pre-season preparations at Scotstoun following the conclusion of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship, where he will be serving as one of Scotland U-20's assistant coaches under Kenny Murray. 'I'm really looking forward to working with everyone – it's an incredibly exciting coaching group,' said Forrest. 'Having had the opportunity to work alongside Franco and Nigel over the past season in my role with the club's A team and academy, I'm excited to take this a step further over the coming seasons. Scott Forrest coached Glasgow Warriors A. | SNS Group 'I'd also like to mention that working alongside Pete Murchie this season has been of huge benefit – he leaves huge large shoes to fill, but I'm excited to build on the excellent work he's done since leading the team's defence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'My time spent coaching the U20s over the past few years, as well as my time with Scotland 7s, mean that I know a lot of the players at the club, and having been in the environment over the last year or so I'm looking forward to continuing to build those relationships. 'I've always tried to give players the autonomy to make decisions as ultimately they are the ones that have to perform in high pressure situations. I'd say that I have a positive approach whilst always working to instil the standards required to perform at the highest level. 'I know Roddy well from our times playing for Scotland 7s together, and I've seen him go on to develop into a top-class coach. It'll be great to work alongside him once again and I'm confident we both have a lot to contribute to the environment at the Warriors.' Grant aware of Glasgow's potential Former Edinburgh Rugby flanker Grant will join Glasgow Warriors following the conclusion of his current role as assistant coach of Georgia, with whom he will work ahead of their matches with Emerging Ireland and South Africa next month. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Born in Botswana, the 38-year-old was a firm fan favourite over a six-year spell with Edinburgh, for whom he amassed 138 appearances in the back-row, as well as in a Scotland 7s career that saw him represent his country at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. 'I've had so much respect for Glasgow over the last two decades of being involved in the BKT URC – Franco [Smith] is such an impressive coach, and such an impressive person,' said Grant. 'The opportunity to come into such a successful environment and such a top-level culture was one I jumped at, and I'm looking forward to being able to contribute to that environment. 'It's a really exciting group here. Having coached against Franco for a number of years, I can't wait to work alongside him. I'm a huge admirer of Nigel's work as well, he's been hugely successful wherever he's been. To have the chance to work with Scott, too, is a special opportunity. We've known each other since 2006, so to be able to coach alongside each other is an exciting prospect. 'I like to believe that I treat people how I'd like to be treated, both on and off the field. I appreciate technique, and the art and science behind everything we do. The great thing about pro sport is that you're around incredible people, and I hope to make those strong connections with everyone here at Scotstoun.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Al Dickinson will also continue in his role as consultant Scrum Coach, with Munro working with the club's academy prospects. On the coaching appointments, Smith said: 'We are pleased to be able to confirm our coaching group as we turn our attention towards the new season. Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith. | SNS Group 'I would first like to once again thank Pete [Murchie] for everything that he has done for this club on and off the field over the past three seasons, and everyone at the club wishes him and his family well with their new adventure. 'We are pleased to be able to retain Nigel's services as we prepare for the new campaign – he is someone that is thoroughly respected by everyone in both the playing group and backroom team, and his experience and expertise are valuable assets to the club. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
