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Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith has addressed reports this week that Scotland centre Sione Tuipulotu is being pursued by at least two Gallagher Premiership sides for a move down south.
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RugbyPass revealed on Thursday that Tuipulotu has been the subject of enquiries from Premiership duo Bath and Harlequins, as well as several French clubs.
Australia-born Tuipulotu, 26, has been an outstanding success since arriving at Scotstoun three years ago, winning 27 Scotland caps and playing a crucial role in helping Warriors win the URC title last season.
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With his contract due to expire at the end of the season, Smith said he hoped the esteem in which Tuipulotu is held in Glasgow could see him continue to play his club rugby in Scotland beyond the current campaign.
“I think it’s how much Sione wants to remain a Warrior which is important,” the head coach said. “Obviously, he’s shown that in the way he’s played. We love him as a player here and I believe that he’s happy here. I hope that is the important thing.
“I think for him to stay here with us will show how much he cares. But I don’t want to go into that too much now, especially when we are on tour and away from Scotland.
“Yes, they (other clubs) can make contact and there’s probably more than one of our players that’s been contacted. The value of Glasgow Warriors players all went up, so we understand that. But for now, I think the focus should sit on what we want to achieve here.”
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Glasgow have yet to win a regular-season URC match in South Africa since the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions joined the competition in 2021, losing all six in the past three campaigns.
But having upset the Bulls in Pretoria in a memorable final triumph in May, and sitting second in the early-season table after winning their past three games, Smith’s rejigged side will not be short of confidence for their Kings Park encounter.
Sharks have recalled all their frontline Springboks including Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and the front-row trio of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch at the first opportunity after their return from winning the recent Rugby Championship.
For around half the players on both sides, this is likely to be an appetiser for Scotland’s meeting with South Africa at Murrayfield in three weeks, on 10 November.
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“We wouldn’t want it any different,” added Smith, who has left the likes of centre Huw Jones and Japan-bound lock Richie Gray out of his 23 with an eye to keeping some players fresh for next Saturday’s game with the Stormers. “We are excited about the fact we’re getting the chance to play the best of them.
“I think they (Sharks) want to get those guys mixed in before the November Test matches. But it’s also in the way that we’ve been going about our business this season that maybe forced their hand to bring everybody back and not just some of them. So there’s definitely or surely some respect shown from that perspective.
“They’re going to get a lot of people through the gates so it’s going to be a nice challenge, like we faced in the final. It’s going to be a final-like atmosphere, a Test-like environment. So I’m really looking forward to it and excited for our boys to run out here in front of this crowd.”
