Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith has expressed concerns about the upcoming season, describing it as "quite challenging" due to the potential loss of foreign players. This shift comes as Scottish Rugby aims to foster more homegrown talent within the league.

South African flanker Henco Venter recently shared his disappointment about leaving the team at the end of the season. Smith acknowledged the value these international players have brought to the team, stating, "It is disappointing losing the foreign players here - they've had value."

Smith emphasized the importance of integrating young players into the squad, noting that a winning team provides the ideal environment for their development. "You can only put young players out on the pitch if your team is winning and there's not much pressure on them to make the side perform," he explained.

Additionally, Smith highlighted the benefits of having a diverse squad in managing game time for international players. "It allows us to give them a weekend during the season, or to not have them play with niggles," he said. "We can give them some extra recovery time, especially with the full schedule."

Looking ahead, Smith remains optimistic despite the challenges. "It's going to be quite challenging next season. Obviously, it is a directive that has got its own merit and it's got its own explanation around that. So we'll do the best we can despite losing some of the quality players that we've had," he stated.

The Warriors are currently preparing for a tough semi-final clash against Leinster in Dublin. Despite recent losses to the same opponents, Smith is confident in his team's ability to rise to the occasion. "It's a semi-final," he said. "The mindset and approach and attitude in a final game is obviously the main ingredient."

Smith praised Leinster as a "world-class team" and acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming match. "They've proven it in the Test match arena, they've proven it in this competition. It's a class outfit. It's going to be a tough challenge," he remarked.

He concluded by emphasizing the importance of self-improvement and resilience. "The only way we're going to get better and keep on growing and progressing is if we challenge ourselves to be the best version of ourselves," Smith added.