STEVIE LAWRIE has agreed terms with Edinburgh on a one-year contract extension. The forwards coach has been on the staff since 2019, having previously played 46 games at hooker during two spells at the club (2005-09 and 2011-14).
A statement issued by Edinburgh this [Tuesday] lunchtime also confirmed that Michael Todd is to stay on as defence coach next season, with the club is in the process of recruiting a replacement head coach after Mike Blair decided to step down from that role at the end of the 2022-23 campaign. Steve Diamond, who was recruited in March as ‘Lead Rugby Consultant’, is to stay on until August to oversee pre-season training.
“I’m really excited to extend my contract with the club. Edinburgh Rugby has and continues to be a major part of my life. I’m privileged to be the Forwards Coach of my hometown club,” said Lawrie.
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“I’m looking forward to continuing to drive standards next season while improving consistency on the field. We understand performances and results weren’t good enough this year. It’s now my role to work with the new Head Coach to ensure Edinburgh Rugby is back competing at the top end of the table.
“It’s a privilege to come to work every day and work with such a talented squad. We have all the ingredients to succeed – including a brilliant home ground and hugely engaged fan base – but it’s also about creating a robust environment, which translates into positive results.
“I’m really excited to continue the hard work next season. The club is in a great place and there’s so much more to come from this squad.”
Lawrie earned full international honours against Samoa in 2013 and made his first steps into coaching with Heriot’s Rugby in 2015, where he was a key figure in the Goldenacre outfit winning the Premiership championship in 2015 and a league and cup double in 2016.
Lawrie had coaching roles with Scotland U20 and Watsonians before being appointed as Edinburgh Rugby’s assistant forwards coach ahead of the 2019-20 season.
Edinburgh Rugby managing director Douglas Struth added: “We’re delighted to see Stevie extend terms with the club. He has been an integral member of our coaching team for the past four seasons and has developed into a top-class forwards coach.
“The players enjoy working with him, while his connection to the club and rugby in the city ensures we maintain the competitive and hard-nosed qualities that come hand-in-hand with an Edinburgh pack.
“We’re excited to see Stevie work alongside Michael [Todd] and Steve [Diamond] this summer as we continue to recruit for a new head coach to lead the club into the new campaign.”
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Vern is available – can we tempt him to Edinburgh? Or is there no way after his previous treatment by the SRU?
Let’s put aside the discussion on the 9s for a minute….
The secret to the massive turnaround at Franco’s Glasgow has been the development of the “squad” players and a shift from reliance on the perceived stars, rewarding hard work & performance and NOT reputation which has created massively improved competition for places and a realisation that the squad will challenge for honours, not a team. You can see that in victories we would easily have lost last season when we have some positions seriously down in numbers due to injury ie Wings.
Horne has benefitted from that over Price, McDowall another who was on the verge of leaving and now captains the side on occasions and put in an exemplar performance away to Scarlets at the weekend.
Getting back to the 9s, I understand the arguments re Dobie, but would also suggest that Velacott and Shiel are excellent players but some distance off achieving the consistent high performance of which they are more than capable – to me it’s a cultural thing.
There is no magic answer, referring back to Dempsey’s post match interview at the weekend – they are now benefitting from working their arses off….
Take the time, get the right coach.
Edinburgh MD missive is disappointing as they have known the situation re Blair since at least February. I agree re Blackett and thought he might be mentioned once Scarlets, where he had a temporary position, were beaten by Glasgow.
Edinburgh supporters were previously kept in the dark and hoodwinked into buying season tickets, before the terse announcement that Cockerill was leaving was made. Now we have to wait until at least pre-season training starts.
In God we trust, in the SRU we ……?
How long did it take Glasgow/SRU to acquire Franco Smith?
Take the time and get the right person.
I had hoped we’d approach Lee Blackett but he’s now with Bath. Smith has been a revelation at Glasgow, Edinburgh have a great pool of players – they needed a 9 and 10 not sure how Boyle will go? And wish they had moved Dobie.. But the team deserves a really good coach and cannot see anyone obvious. Any thoughts anyone? We’re running out of time to get someone for pre-season. But latest missive from MD of Edinburgh suggests this is not going to happen.
while I sympathise with your desire for a 9 and 10, I do worry that your mindset (to wish “they” had moved Dobie from Glasgow) is symptomatic of Edinburgh Rugby. As long as that mindset – the SRU will move someone from Glasgow – exists, Edin won’t kick on to be the force they should be. Edinburgh Rugby needs to develop or source its own and be accountable for that. And to understand that they are accountable
I understand your point of view and I agree. However we have 3 quality 9’s at Glasgow, of which 2 are not going to get enough game time. That’s neither good for them or for Scottish Rugby. if I were Price or Dobie I would be looking elsewhere a career is short and every year you are not getting serious game time is 10% of your prime career time lost and 10 % of your opportunity to earn the big bucks. It also diminishes the competition for International places.
We’ll take Darge back then thanks!
@RodB
Horne has started 12 and benched 5
Price has started 8 and benched 9
Dobbie has started 8 and benched 6
Also Sean Kennedy featured in 5 games
IMHO Smith’s rotation has seen all 3 main nines get plenty of game time. Its having multiple quality players in every position that makes good teams great and great teams better.
It also increases competition for places at club and country. Being automatic first pick for Edinburgh or Glasgow was for a decade and more Scotland’s biggest problem. Shoe in complacency for some players.
@David
Darge was getting zero game time for Edinburgh and deemed surplus to requirements. Like Lee Jones before him. Edin only want players at their peak from Glasgow, like Bennett, Pyrgos, Weir. Its lazy tiresome non development especially of half backs
Edinburgh MD missive is disappointing as they have known the situation re Blair since at least February. I agree re Blackett and thought he might be mentioned once Scarlets, where he had a temporary position, were beaten by Glasgow.
Edinburgh supporters were previously kept in the dark and hoodwinked into buying season tickets, before the terse announcement that Cockerill was leaving was made. Now we have to wait until at least pre-season training starts.
In God we trust, in the SRU we ……?
Edinburgh MD missive is disappointing as they have known the situation re Blair since at least February. I agree re Blackett and thought he might be mentioned once Scarlets, where he had a temporary position, were beaten by Glasgow.
Edinburgh supporters were previously kept in the dark and hoodwinked into buying season tickets, before the terse announcement that Cockerill was leaving was made. Now we have to wait until at least pre-season training starts.
In God we trust, in the SRU we ……?