FORMER ITALY RUGBY team boss Franco Smith is to succeed Danny Wilson as head coach of Glasgow, the Scottish club announced Tuesday.

Smith will join from the Italian Rugby Federation, where he was most recently head of high performance. He has signed a two-year contract.

The 50-year-old former South Africa international lost all 13 of his matches in charge of Italy in 2020 and 2021.

Prior to that he was head coach of Treviso from 2007 to 2013

Wilson was sacked two months ago after Glasgow suffered a humiliating 76-14 beating to Leinster in the quarter-finals of the United Rugby Championship.

Smith, who will arrive in Scotland at the end of August, told the Warriors official website: “I have followed Glasgow for a long time, since coaching at Benetton when they joined the PRO12 in 2010, and the way they play has always appealed to me because their style is embraced by the fans.

“In coaching I always have these objectives: to play a winning brand of rugby; to have a style that is good to watch and that the fans can associate with — it is the Warrior Nation’s team, and our responsibility through the coaches and players is to represent them.

“There are also opportunities at Glasgow to contribute to the pathway for up-and-coming players, making sure we are developing creative, fit, and knowledgeable rugby players from a young age that we will bring all the way through to Scotland.

“I am looking forward to joining the club and getting to know the coaching staff and players as we begin working together.”