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Sione Vailanu's Glasgow exit confirmed with French move mooted

Dublin , Ireland - 11 April 2025; Sione Vailanu of Glasgow Warriors during the Investec Champions Cup quarter-final match between Leinster and Glasgow Warriors at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
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Glasgow Warriors have confirmed that back-rower Sione Vailanu will leave the club at the end of the season, adding to a growing list of departures from Scotstoun.

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The 6’2″, 127kg Tongan international becomes the sixth player confirmed to be moving on following the 2025/26 campaign, joining the previously announced exits of Adam Hastings, Huw Jones, Jack Dempsey, Jamie Bhatti and Johnny Matthews, while Duncan Weir is set to retire.

A club statement read: “Glasgow Warriors can confirm that Sione Vailanu will leave the club this summer, joining our five previously confirmed departures at the end of the 2025/26 season.

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“Each of the six leavers, plus the retiring Duncan Weir, will each be recognised and celebrated following full-time tomorrow night at Scotstoun.”

Vailanu’s departure had been anticipated, with assistant coach Scott Forrest indicating earlier in the campaign that “there’s a good chance that Sione will move on at the end of the season”.

The 29-year-old is reportedly set for a move to French Pro D2 outfit Biarritz.

Vailanu joined the Warriors in 2023, weighing in at the time at an astounding 143kg [22 stone 7 pounds], after previous spells with Wasps and Worcester Warriors in the Gallagher PREM, arriving with a reputation as a powerful ball-carrier and abrasive presence in the loose.

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That reputation translated quickly to the URC. A dynamic No.8 capable of playing across the back row, Vailanu regularly provided the Warriors with gain-line momentum and added physical presence at the breakdown.

On the international stage, Vailanu has represented Tonga, earning 12 caps to date and featuring for his homeland in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

His time at Glasgow has been marked by consistent contributions as a squad player rather than frequent starts as a frontliner. He didn’t feature in a single Investec Champions Cup game this season and only started three URC games, losing out in selection to the likes of Scotland internationals Jack Dempsey and Matt Fagerson.

His younger brother, Mahe, plays hooker for the Waratahs.


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1 Comment
J
JD 56 mins ago

Vailanu is 31….

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