Gary Mercer, the Regional Academy Coach for Caledonia and former Glasgow Warriors defence coach, is leaving Scottish Rugby.Mercer, who joined Scottish Rugby in 2005, is to take up the head coach role at Yorkshire Carnegie, the Leeds based club that competes in the Greene King IPA Championship, and which is chaired by Sir Ian McGeechan.Mercer, a former New Zealand rugby league internationalist, said: “I’d like to thank Scottish Rugby for giving me the opportunity to work in rugby union.”Scottish Rugby is on the up.  It’s really great to see the BT academies are getting up and running. It’s a very positive time for Scottish Rugby.”The opportunity to be a head coach at Yorkshire Carnegie, returning to an area that Mercer knows well and working with McGeechan and the club’s director of rugby, Chris Gibson, were key factors in Mercer’s decision to consider the role.Scott Johnson, Scottish Rugby’s Director of Performance Rugby, said: “Thanks to Gary for all his work over the years. We wish him all the best in the future.”