Franco Smith staying put in Scotland as cost issue could spook Wales

Franco Smith, by all accounts, is unlikely to take up the position of head coach of Wales.

Smith, who steered Glasgow Warriors to the United Rugby Championship title last season, had been linked to the job vacated by Warren Gatland, especially after he said in a recent interview he wanted to coach at the highest level again.

According to RugbyPass, a £500,000 (R11.7m) compensation clause is built into Smith's contract that expires at the end of next year. The sum to secure his release will in all likelihood prove prohibitive for the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) who recorded a £14m (R326.8m) loss in their last annual report.

The WRU may also be buoyed by the performance of their national team under interim coach Matt Sherratt in last weekend's clash against high-flying Ireland. Wales gave Ireland an almighty scare despite some bookmakers favouring Ireland to win by more than 38 points.

If the WRU still favours a high-profile coach with international head coach experience, then former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika will prove a strong candidate. Cheika will leave his job as Leicester Tigers coach at the end of the season.

Ireland caretaker coach Simon Easterby, who is holding the position while Andy Farrell plots the path of the British & Irish Lions, is also heavily favoured.

Smith, who served as a Bok assistant coach under Allister Coetzee, for now appears to be staying put in Scotland. He is held in high regard there and has been touted likely successor for national coach Gregor Townsend.

Smith has by design taken opportunities abroad to help broaden his coaching horizons. He coached Treviso and Italy before taking the job as their head of high performance. He joined Glasgow Warriors in 2022.

In a recent interview Smith would like to coach at international level again, but he did not say where. Asked previously by this writer whether he would like to put his experience to use in the Boks' top job, he said: “One day one would like to apply all that in South Africa. I'm a South African and it would be a dream. If it happens, it will be great — and then you contribute where you can.”