Dave Rennie: Scottish Rugby starts hunt for new Glasgow Warriors coach amid Australia link
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Dave Rennie's three-year contract ends next summer
Scottish Rugby has begun the process of identifying a new head coach for Glasgow Warriors as Dave Rennie is linked with the vacancy with Australia.
The governing body expects the 55-year-old New Zealander to leave at the end of his contract in June.
Scotland forwards coach Danny Wilson is on a shortlist to replace Rennie at Scotstoun.
Australia are seeking a replacement for Michael Cheika after their Rugby World Cup quarter-final loss to England.
A report in Australia, external suggested on Thursday that Rugby Australia officials had informed their staff that Rennie would be the new team boss.
Rennie has been Warriors boss since 2017, having previously been in charge of New Zealand provincial sides Wellington and Manawatu and New Zealand Under-20s before five years with Super Rugby outfit Chiefs.
He led the Warriors to the Pro14 semi-finals in his first season and the final in his second, during which they also reached the European Champions Cup quarter-finals.
His side have started the current Pro14 season with a win and two defeats.
Speaking to BBC Scotland in April, New Zealander Rennie explained he may want to return nearer to home for family reasons at some point but insisted he would not leave before the end of his current contract.
"I've signed and I won't walk away from that contract," he said. "I'm not saying that Australia is impossible, but it's improbable. They'd need to wait until 2020, which is pretty unlikely. I'm really happy here.
"We only signed for one more year and, to be honest, it's more around family. I'm not sure I could convince my wife to sign for two years because that would be two more years away from children and grandchildren."
Rennie successor must 'command European respect' - analysis
I would like to see the next Gregor Townsend developed from within Scottish rugby, but I don't know if the timing is right given how Scotland performed at the World Cup. You want Glasgow to continue to be a success story.
The flip side if you have to bring in someone who buys into the Glasgow Warriors way. That's why it's such a difficult call - to get that right person that buys into the Warriors culture and style of play but also has that respect as a coach to deliver results.
If you bring in a developing coach, will they have the respect and kudos? Will players from abroad want to come and play? And do Glasgow just become a development club for the rest of Europe when you see the likes of Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg having left in the last couple of years.
The ideal is you find someone with a bit of a reputation that can command respect on the European stage.