Scottish Rugby

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Scotland scrum-half Jenny Maxwell has announced she will leave Loughborough Lightning after seven seasons at the club.

Maxwell first joined in 2017 has had a "tough" last two season through various injuries.

Maxwell took to Instagram, external to thank her teammates and the club.

"To the best team mates, staff and supporters, both past and present - thanks for the memories," she said.

"The last couple have been so tough, but I finished the season on the pitch with my faves.

"Excited for a new challenge."

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Former Scotland international Megan Gaffney has been appointed new director of rugby of Heriot's women's team.

With experience from playing rugby internationally in both sevens and XVs, including the Rugby World Cup in 2021, Gaffney will manage the development of the Heriot's rugby women programme and related pathways.

While recovering from shoulder surgery, Gaffney has taken on various other opportunities, even being selected to be Scotland's representative at the launch of the first British and Irish Lions women's tour.

Speaking to club media, Gaffney said: “When playing for the national squad we talked a lot about inspiring the next generation, and I've always wanted to push the women’s game forward for those players coming after me.

“While you are playing at the top level you are the face of the game, but you don't have much time to do much else. Now I can put the time and effort into building those pathways for other players."

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Glasgow Warriors and URC top try scorer Johnny Matthews believes his side "need to go up another level" when they travel to Limerick to take on Munster.

Warriors have already faced the Irish side this season and suffered a 40-29 defeat.

But Matthews thinks Glasgow are "in a great spot" this time around after Saturday's 27-10 win over Stormers.

"A few things didn't go our way last game against Munster, but a lot did," he said. "So rely on those positives and try and fix up the ones that maybe didn't go so well.

"Now from Saturday we're in a great spot physically, we've put on a great performance. We need to go up another level there.

"From my point of view, Munster are a fantastic team. I've got a lot of admiration for what they did last season."

Munster are currently on a 10-game winning streak, but Matthews isn't too fazed by this after a strong season from his side.

"Similar to ourselves, they very, very strong at home," he adds.

"We went over there last season and did the business, so we need to try and replicate that performance and build on it as well."

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After rumours swirled for weeks, it is finally confirmed that George Turner is leaving Glasgow Warriors for Japan.

The 31-year-old Scotland international will team up with his former Warriors coach Dave Rennie.

"I couldn't miss this amazing opportunity to live and play in Japan," Turner said.

"I have always wanted to play in Japan since the Rugby World Cup in 2019.

"The Kobe Steelers are a great team and I want to contribute to their success. This is a great adventure not only for me but also for my family, who I'm sure will gain a lot from this experience.

"Rugby in Japan is very exciting and I'm looking forward to the challenge."

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Glasgow defence coach Pete Murchie played down the rivalry between his Warriors side and Munster before Saturday's United Rugby Championship semi-final.

The two clubs have been fiercely competitive in their matches over the years, with tensions rising on more than one occasion.

"It was my era, but it was mainly Ryan [Wilson] who was the protagonist," Murchie admitted. "These things come and go with sets of players retiring and whatnot.

"You're actually looking at quite a long time ago now since there was that particular needle. It's a big game in its own right, forgetting whatever's happened in the past. It's a new set of players, they're not thinking about those things that may or may not have gone on."

Last season, the clubs met in the URC quarter-finals at Scotstoun with Munster triumphing despite the Warriors going in as favourites.

"It was another really close game and we know what ended up happening with [Munster] and the run they went on, winning three games away from home on their way to winning the title.

"You have to take your hats off to them. We moved on and we had a final after that as well, which we had to concentrate on. It'll be a different game."

Glasgow go in confident after a superb performance in the wind and rain to edge past the Stormers last weekend.

"It was tight, it was a classic knockout game," added Murchie. "It was really good to come out on the right side of it, and in that last 10 minutes we managed to start breaking them down and start getting rewards on the scoreboard that maybe we didn't get throughout the game. It was pretty nip and tuck the whole game."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Glasgow defence coach Pete Murchie has been speaking to the media after the Warriors' URC quarter-final victory over the Stormers.

Here are the key points:

• He says the quarter-final win over Stormers was a "classic knock-out game" they "came out on the right side" of.

• Was really proud of Glasgow's "effort" given the conditions and amount of kick-chases and tackles.

• Murchie thinks the "needle" between Glasgow and Munster has perhaps gone as players involved in past tense encounters have now retired, namely Ryan Wilson.

• He insists the Warriors have moved on from last season's quarter-final defeat to Munster and says this is "a different game".

• Hopes there will be a "huge representation" of Glasgow players in Scotland's summer tour squad, which is set to be named on Wednesday.

We asked for your thoughts after Glasgow Warriors saw off Stormers to progress to the semi-finals of the URC, where they will take on Munster.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Stuart: After this display there is belief, Munster were no better than Warriors today. Closing down the Stormers worked well, they had really no space. Played as a team in coordination this week. More of the same next week.

Sten: Well done to Glasgow on getting on the right side of the ref and taking the win against an out of sorts Stormers. John Dobson isn't the coach required at Stormers.

Frank: I thought Tom Jordan had probably his best game ever for Glasgow and was surprised he was not mentioned by John Barclay for player of the match. George Horne’s kicking was indeed excellent but his missed opportunity early on was unforgivable. When we are close to the line and all forwards was to score, they need to vary it more. Hence Venter was just lucky.

Anon: Best defensive performance of the season against the Stormers. The Fagersons, Jack Dempsey and Scott Cummings all had good, aggressive games. Will be disappointed missing out on two tries. Horne’s kicking really was the difference for most of the game. Munster next week will be a real test, need to back this up again.

Kenny: In my opinion, the referee at last night's Glasgow game was excellent. He was clear, decisive and consistent.

Listen as Peter Wright and Chris Paterson join Andy Burke in analysing Glasgow Warriors' United Rugby Championship quarter-final victory over Stormers.

Listen and subscribe here.

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Former Scotland prop Peter Wright thought Glasgow were 'solid' but not 'outstanding' in the 27-10 win over Stormers which saw the Warriors progress to the URC semi-finals.

Just a point ahead with 10 minutes to go, Franco Smith's side kicked on to score two tries and put themselves out of sight of their South African opponents.

"It was a solid performance from Glasgow - not outstanding," Wright said on Sportsound. "Stormers weren't great but Glasgow's defence was outstanding, and had maybe one of their best defensive performances.

"Stormers weren't in the Glasgow 22m very often, and Glasgow forced errors and mistakes from a very good Stormers team, who will be disappointed as they've not fired too many shots.

"It was a cagey game for a long time but Glasgow come out well-deserved victors.

"They were really disappointed to lose against Munster last year, so they've got a chance to turn the tables next week. It's a winnable game. Munster are a good side, but they're beatable and Glasgow will want revenge. They've got a massive history, they hate each other.

"When Glasgow were winning well and consistently, they played how they did tonight. They were efficient, they played quality rugby, defensively they were strong.

"Set-piece was good, scrum was excellent, line-out was generally quite good. At the end, they showed their line-out power. All 23 players contributed to the victory. George Horne was outstanding, Zander Fagerson not far behind him."

What a game that was. Bucketing rain, howling wind, and one of Glasgow's best performances of the season.

What did you make of the game? Who stood out for you? And how do you rate Glasgow's chances against Munster next week?

Let us know your thoughts here., external

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Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith told BBC Scotland: "Really proud. We've talked all week about an 80-minute performance, applying ourselves the whole game to the best of our ability. There was some really intense commitment from the players tonight.

"The South African teams have added [physicality] to the competition and they can bully you physically, which makes it hard. That was one of the big work ons and the boys fronted up nicely.

"We smashed our windows of opportunity. I'm excited we converted those points and the way we controlled the game towards the end, from a discipline perspective, was very exciting.

"[George Horne] played really well tonight. We gave him a good platform to play from. He's a competitor, and I'm really proud of him. That's why we kept him on there for 80 minutes - to finish in the style he started.

"The less we think about what's happened [in the past], the better it will be. This is a new challenge, a different pitch to play on. They'll be waiting for us with a few plans, so this week we will come up with our strategy and take the game to them."

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Despite Finn Russell's best efforts, 14-man Bath fell short as Northampton Saints claimed their first Premiership title in 10 years.

The Scotland fly-half was influential for Johan van Grann's side, kicking a conversation and a penalty - the latter of which had his team ahead before Saints' numerical advantage paid off.

Bath threatened a sensational comeback as Northampton nerves jangled, but a 25-21 victory sparked celebrations for the East Midlands outfit.

• Read the full report

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We asked how you're feeling as Glasgow get set for their URC quarter-final with South African side Stormers.

Here's some thoughts:

Stuart: Warriors will have to provide a fluid error-free display closing the Stormers down quickly.

Maine Libbock is the Stormers' marshal and he will dictate their play. Warriors have the men to threaten them, but the loss of form recently is a worry!

Richie Gray in the line out and Jack Dempsey will be influential, as well as our half- backs.

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Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith insists previous meetings against Stormers hold little significance, before their URC quarter-final on Saturday.

Smith's side won 20-9 when the South African outfit visited Glasgow earlier this season, and while Smith says that is a good memory to have, he is treating this clash as a "completely new challenge".

"It was good to have won that game," Smith said. "It is obviously better to use a victory rather than a loss against them in preparation for that game but it does not affect much in our preparation this week.

"We looked back at it a little bit as a coaching group to see what was done and how it worked but that’s not going to influence this game at all.

"This is going to be a completely new challenge because it’s a one-off match, it’s knockout rugby, it’s not going to be as liberal, I would think, as it was in the previous game."

Stormers finished fifth in the URC, one place behind Glasgow, and Smith says his side will need to perform to their best if they are to reach the semi-finals.

"They had a rough start and they dropped some games which they were used to winning but they are still the finalists of last year and the team that won it the year before," the South African coach said.

"They’ve still got the same players there, the same quality. They’ve got a lot of Springboks across the board, their coaching team has been with them for a while, so they have good continuity.

"They’ve got a solid platform so it’s going to be a tough ask to come out on top."

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Munster ground their way into the United Rugby Championship semi-finals with a workmanlike victory over Ospreys.

Simon Zebo and Niall Scannell scored first-half tries before the boot of Jack Crowley sealed victory for the defending champions at Thomond Park.

Ospreys were briefly on level terms after Keelan Giles' early try but could not make the most of their scrum dominance.

Munster will host a semi-final on 15 June against either Glasgow Warriors or Stormers, who meet on Saturday night, for a place in the Grand Final.

The teams are announced and the stage is set. It's all eyes on Scotstoun this Saturday night as Glasgow Warriors face Stormers in the URC quarter-finals.

Are you happy with the line-up named by Franco Smith and feeling confident for the visit of the South Africans?

Who will be the key men for Glasgow? And where might the big game be won and lost?

Send us your thoughts here., external

Eve McTiernan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Franco Smith says his Glasgow Warriors players are "calm" and ready to deliver on the big occasion when they face Stormers for a place in the URC semis.

Smith's side have a flawless home record in the URC this season but struggled past Zebre at Scotstoun last weekend after successive away losses to the Bulls and Lions.

Now they face another dangerous South African outfit on Saturday and head coach Smith said: "I'm excited. It's not the first time I've come to the finals, so I know what the feeling is about.

"I think we've prepared well, the players are calm and clear in what needs to be done. I'm looking forward to seeing them act on what they believe they can get right.

"The focus from the start this week was really good. It was special this week. You can see that the players are aligned and they are eager to go out there and express themselves.

"We had a good week of training. I will not be able to say that it was the lack of training and preparation that didn't get it done [last week]. I'm excited to see how they're going to perform on Saturday night."

After a disappointing home quarter-final defeat defeat to Munster last year, Smith feels Glasgow aren't going to be "the architects of our own demise" again.

"If we're going to be over-eager we might let ourselves down in certain areas," he added.

"The message this week was all about the lessons learned and what we need to concentrate on to make sure we leave the best product out in the field that can lead to a win.

"It was all about acting on the process and not concentrating easily on the emotional part of it."

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The URC quarter-final between Glasgow Warriors and Stormers has been lauded by former Scotland flanker John Barclay as the tie of the round.

It's fourth meets fifth as the South African side travel to Scotstoun in the last of the weekend's play-off matches.

Glasgow, the league leaders just a few weeks prior, fell down the standings after suffering back-to-back losses in South Africa while the Stormers, last year's runners-up, have won four in a row.

"I think it’s the tie of the round and probably the tightest one to call,” said Barclay, who will be commentating on the game for Premier Sports.

"Glasgow’s form has arguably dipped a little bit whereas the Stormers seem to be hitting their straps at the right time, as they always seem to do under John Dobson.

"Glasgow were first or second in the table for pretty much the whole season and they were there for a reason. I thought they were going to have home advantage all the way through the play-offs. It feels like a huge opportunity missed and they face a harder challenge now.

"They have got to hit their straps this weekend because I think the Stormers will come to play and hit their best game. It could be a tough day."

Barclays, 37, rates Stormers as the most dangerous team outwith the top four.

"At times this season, they’ve been a little bit careless and sloppy with the ball," he added.

“But of all the teams below the top four, they are the most capable of upsetting the quarter-final draw if they get it right, with the players they have, the style of rugby they play, their handling, their power and physicality.

“So that’s the hardest one to call. But I still think the Glasgow lads have got it in them to iron out the creases in their game.”

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Stormers must do without influential South Africa flanker Evan Roos in the URC quarter-final against Glasgow, although full-back Warrick Gelant returns.

Roos, 24, misses out at Scotstoun on Saturday night with a concussion suffered during training, while Gelant is restored having been rested for last week's win over the Lions.

Only five players - fly-half Manie Libbok, scrum-half Herschel Jantjies, locks Ruben van Heerden and Jason Dixon and loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani - retain their place in the team from that victory.

Stormers ended the regular season by winning six of their final seven games to finish fifth, one place behind Glasgow.

Director of rugby John Dobson said: "We know it will take a top performance to stay alive in this competition and that is a challenge we have embraced.

"We will have to do it without a number of our frontline players due to injuries, but it is a testament to the depth we have built and the quality of our squad that there is plenty of belief.

"Despite having almost a full team ruled out, we have built up some good momentum heading into the play-offs."

Stormers: Gelant, Hartzenberg, D du Plessis, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Loader, Libbok, Jantjies; Harris, Dweba, Malherbe, Moerat (C), van Heerden, Engelbrecht, Dixon, Dayimani.

Replacements: Venter, Sithole, Fouche, Smith, Theunissen, Evans, de Wet, J du Plessis.

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Glasgow skipper Kyle Steyn returns from a brief injury to start against Stormers in Saturday night's URC quarter-final at Scotstoun.

The Scotland wing is favoured over Facundo Cordero in one of five changes from last weekend's scrappy win over Zebre.

Scott Cummings comes in at the expense of Max Williamson to start alongside Richie Gray in the second row while Josh McKay replaces Kyle Rowe at full-back.

Behind the scrum, George Horne and Tom Jordan are the preferred half-back pairing as Jamie Dobie takes a place on the bench and Duncan Weir drops out of the squad.

It's an unchanged pack as Jamie Bhatti and Zander Fagerson pack down either side of Johnny Matthews.

Hooker George Turner will make his 100th appearance for the club if he is called upon from the bench.

Glasgow finished fourth in the regular season - six points above the Stormers in fifth - having won all nine home matches.

Glasgow: McKay, Cancelliere, Jones, Tuipulotu, Steyn (C), Jordan, Horne; Bhatti, Matthews, Z Fagerson, Cummings, Gray, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Turner, McBeth, Kebble, Williamson, Ferrie, Venter, Dobie, Thompson.