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Premiership giants plotting to lure Franco Smith away from URC champs
By Neil Fissler
Glasgow Warriors boss Franco Smith has emerged as a shock contender to replace Michael Cheika if he leaves Leicester Tigers when his one-year contract runs out at the end of this season.
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Former jeans tycoon Cheika, who made millions in the fashion industry, has not agreed to extend his deal with the Welford Road outfit. In a sign that they are not expecting him to stay, they have been actively seeking a replacement.
The 57-year-old ex-Wallaby and Argentina boss is widely tipped to return to Australia, where his family is based, and wait for an opening in the NRL, where he has previously expressed an interest in working.
RugbyPass broke the news two weeks ago that Tigers legend Graham Rowntree, who has been out of work since leaving Munster last October, has been interviewed by his former club.
However, it has now emerged that an approach is being considered for former Springbok fly-half Smith, who is under contract to the Scotstoun outfit until 2026 after doing an eye-catching job.
Since taking over from Danny Wilson in 2022, the former Italy boss has led Glasgow to a European Challenge Cup final defeat to Toulon and then, in June, their first United Rugby Championship title since 2015 after beating Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
Smith, 52, who hails from the farming town Lichtenburg in the North West Province and won two Currie Cup titles with the Cheetahs, has been spoken about as a possible replacement for Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus in the future.
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Another possible alternative would be Richard Wigglesworth, who ended his long playing career with the Tigers and stepped into the head coach role when the RFU recruited Steve Borthwick and Kevin Sinfield.
Even though he followed them to Twickenham as an attack coach, he is known to have a close working relationship with Tigers general manager Richard Wilks if a move for Smith becomes too problematic.
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