Dave Rennie admitted the allure of international rugby was too strong after confirming he will leave Glasgow Warriors to become Australia’s new head coach at the end of the season.

He will be replaced at the helm by Scotland assistant coach Danny Wilson, who will join the Warriors on a two-year deal next summer when Rennie departs for the Wallabies.

Rennie's Warriors revolution

The New Zealander has transformed Warriors since his arrival in 2017 from Super Rugby side the Chiefs, bringing his attacking, all-court style of play to the Guinness PRO14.

He hit the ground running at Scotstoun and guided the Scottish outfit to top spot in their conference in his first season in charge before they fell at the semi-final stage to Scarlets.

Warriors then went one better last season under Rennie’s watchful eye, reaching the Guinness PRO14 final after topping their conference again with a record number of bonus points.

Dave Rennie

But the chance to manage Australia and be closer to his family convinced Rennie that the time was right for him to move on, replacing Michael Cheika following his resignation after the World Cup.

Speaking about his decision to leave Glasgow, Rennie said: “We’ve loved our time here around great people. It’s been as good as I could have wished for after leaving New Zealand.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to coach at international level and an added bonus that we’ll be a little closer to home, near our kids and grandkids.

“All my focus is on the rest of the season in Glasgow as we strive to be in the mix come play-off time in both comps again.”

EXCLUSIVE | Dave Rennie talks about his decision to leave the club at the end of the season to become the next Head Coach of Australia. pic.twitter.com/lhQmY78ART
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) November 19, 2019

Rennie has already had an impact on the international scene through his work at Warriors, with the 55-year-old developing many exciting young players at the club during his time in charge.

Several players have gone on to achieve Scotland recognition over the past two seasons, with 19 Warriors named by Gregor Townsend in his World Cup training squad this summer.

He will have one more opportunity to claim silverware with Warriors this season in the Guinness PRO14 as he looks to avenge their defeat in the ²⁰¹⁸⁄₁₉ final to Leinster.

Wilson eyes attacking riches

Rennie will also hope to improve on his record with Glasgow in the Champions Cup, where they have reached the quarter-finals last season, before handing the reins over to Wilson.

Wilson will arrive at Warriors with an impressive pedigree of his own, having enjoyed a successful three-year spell at fellow Guinness PRO14 side Cardiff Blues before joining Scotland.

He steered the Blues to European Challenge Cup glory in Bilbao, securing a return to the Champions Cup in the process, before being appointed assistant coach of Scotland in August 2018.

The 43-year-old has also had spells at both Scarlets and Dragons and with more than eight years of experience in the Guinness PRO14, he knows exactly what to expect in his new role.

“The opportunity to coach such an attractive club as Glasgow Warriors was too good to miss,” said Wilson, who has previously also enjoyed a two-year spell as Wales U20 head coach.

“I’ve been extremely impressed with the Scottish system in recent years and I’m looking forward to working with an exciting and talented squad of players at the Warriors.

🗣️ Danny Wilson following his appointment as our new Head Coach from the 2020/21 season. pic.twitter.com/MHeBd9n96N
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) November 20, 2019

“I want to build on the high-tempo style of play that I know the fans love and pay to see week in, week out.

“The club has been challenging at the top end of the Guinness PRO14 on a regular basis and as a coach it is that type of environment and culture you want to be involved in.

“I took a huge amount of learnings from the time I have spent with Scotland through Six Nations and the World Cup and I’m thankful for that experience, which can only add to how I take on a new head coach role with Glasgow Warriors.”