SA's Franco Smith scoops URC Coach of the Season accolade

South African Franco Smith has been named Coach of the Season for the 2022/23 United Rugby Championship campaign.

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In his first season in charge of Glasgow Warriors, the 50-year-old led the team to a top four URC finish as well as guiding them to their first European final.

Smith, who joined Glasgow last year on a two-year contract from the Italian Rugby Federation,  helped the Warriors go the URC regular season unbeaten at their home ground, Scotstoun Stadium.

Glasgow also won the URC's Scottish/Italian Shield. They lost 14-5 at home to Munster in the URC quarter-finals - their only home loss of the season - and 43-19 to Toulon in the Challenge Cup final in Dublin.

"This is season one for this group. This is not the end for us, this is just the start. It's a stepping stone," Smith said in a URC statement.

The winner of the @BKTTires Coach of the Season Award goes to… @GlasgowWarriors’ Franco Smith ??#URC | #URCAwards #BKTCoachOfTheSeason

The former Springbok flyhalf mentored Italy during 2020 and 2021. He was previously head coach of Benetton from 2007 to 2013 and spent several spells as player, assistant coach and head coach of the Cheetahs.

The top coaching award was voted for by the URC's 16 head coaches.

URC awards 2022-23 winners:

Top Try Scorer: Tom Stewart (Ulster)

Tackle Machine: John Hodnett (Munster)

Turnover King: Thomas Young (Cardiff)

Elite XV: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors), Dan du Plessis (Stormers), Simone Gesi (Zebre Parma), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Grant Williams (Sharks), Gavin Coombes (Munster), Scott Penny (Leinster), Vaea Fifita (Scarlets), Federico Ruzza (Benetton), Niall Murray (Connacht),