Former Scotland international Jim Hamilton has suggested that Mike Blair should be considered for the role of Scotland's head coach when Gregor Townsend's contract expires after the Rugby World Cup. Townsend's tenure is expected to conclude following the tournament in Australia next year.
Blair, currently serving as the attack coach for the New Zealand All Blacks under Dave Rennie, has a previous coaching history with Scotland, working as a skills coach between 2017 and 2021. He then took on the head coaching position at Edinburgh Rugby, leading them to the URC quarter-finals in his first season before stepping down in 2023.
Hamilton, a former teammate of Blair's, highlighted Blair's intelligence and coaching acumen as key strengths. "When the time comes for Gregor Townsend to eventually move on from Scotland, I hope Mike’s name is in that conversation," Hamilton stated. He believes Blair's passion lies in coaching on the training field, a role he feels is central to the All Blacks' recent attacking resurgence under Rennie and Blair.
While acknowledging other potential candidates like Franco Smith and Scott Robertson, Hamilton emphasized Blair's suitability, particularly if he could focus solely on coaching without the additional off-field responsibilities he faced at Edinburgh. Blair's playing career saw him represent Scotland 85 times, a record for a scrum-half, where he was known for his intelligence and leadership.
The discussion of potential coaching successors comes as Scotland prepares for a match against the All Blacks. Rennie, now head coach of New Zealand, has led the team to a strong record since his appointment. Hamilton expressed optimism about the current Scotland squad, describing it as potentially the strongest it has ever been.
