Warriors confirm that 10 players are heading for the exit at Scotstoun
Glasgow Warriors have confirmed the 10 players who will be leaving the club at the end of this season, an exodus that includes four Scotland internationals. Alex Dunbar and Kevin Bryce will depart Scotstoun at the conclusion of the current campaign, the pair joining Stuart Hogg and Jamie Bhatti in moving on to pastures new.
Hogg, whose move south to join Exeter was confirmed earlier this season, will leave the club after eight years, scoring 30 tries in over a century of appearances with the Warriors. The 67-times capped Scotland full-back and two-time British and Irish Lion has been a key component in the most successful spell in Glasgow’s history, helping the club to an inaugural Guinness PRO12 title in 2014/15 in addition to a brace of European quarter-finals.
Fellow centurion Dunbar will also be moving on at the end of the season, following 119 caps in a decade-long career at Scotstoun. The 28-year-old, currently on loan at Newcastle Falcons, was a fixture in the Warriors midfield during his time at the club, with his brand of hard-running rugby making him a threat to defences throughout the league.
Loosehead prop Bhatti will make the journey along the M8 at the end of the current campaign, with the 25-year-old set to join Edinburgh next season. The former Stirling County and Melrose man made his first appearance for the Warriors in a 63-0 pre-season win over Canada A at Bridgehaugh, going on to make his Scotland debut in the victory over Samoa in November 2017.
Bryce, who has earned three caps for his country, has made 25 appearances over two spells at the club, having re-joined the Warriors in the summer of 2018. A former recipient of the Macphail Scholarship, the hooker was part of the Scotland squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, making one appearance in the group stage win over the USA.
? | Glasgow Warriors confirm departures: https://t.co/ONegQ98Yin#OnceAWarriorAlwaysAWarrior pic.twitter.com/W5pmVzFjUV
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) April 25, 2019
Two more hookers will join Bryce in leaving the club at the end of the season, with the departures of Robbie Smith and James Malcolm having already been confirmed. Scottish Rugby academy stage three player Smith, who made his debut in the 9-3 win over the Ospreys in January, will join Bedford Blues ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.
He will come up against Malcolm in next season’s English Championship, with the 24-year-old having signed with London Scottish for next season. Malcolm will join up with Lewis Wynne at the Richmond Athletic Ground, after the back row’s loan switch to London Scottish was made permanent last month.
Finally, New Zealand winger Lelia Masaga will depart Scotstoun at the end of the season, bringing an end to a two-year stint with the Warriors. The 32-year-old has made eight appearances for Dave Rennie’s side, scoring his sole try for the club in last season’s victory over Zebre at Scotstoun.
Second row duo Brian Alainu’uese and Greg Peterson both left the club during the 2018/19 campaign, joining Toulon and Bordeaux-Begles respectively.
Glasgow boss Dave Rennie, said: “It says a lot about the club that so many players are staying but as is always the case in sport, people sometimes need new experiences and challenges. Stuart Hogg and Alex Dunbar especially, they have both played over 100 games and given a decade of service to Glasgow Warriors and have played a huge part in helping the club get to where it is today.
“Everyone leaves with our blessing and best wishes for the future and we look forward to spending the next few weeks together as a group and can hopefully make some special memories together. We’re desperate to give the men who won’t be here next year a send-off appropriate to what they’ve given to this club in the remaining games of the season.”
Glasgow Warriors Leavers 2018/19
Brian Alainu’uese – 22 Glasgow appearances
Jamie Bhatti – 13 Scotland caps, 44 Glasgow appearances
Kevin Bryce – 3 Scotland caps, 25 Glasgow appearances, 1 try
Alex Dunbar – 31 Scotland caps, 119 Glasgow appearances, 15 tries
Stuart Hogg – 7 British and Irish Lions appearances, 67 Scotland caps, 118 Glasgow appearances, 220 points, 30 tries
James Malcolm – 25 Glasgow appearances, 3 tries
Lelia Masaga – 8 Glasgow appearances, 1 try
Greg Peterson – 31 Glasgow appearances, 3 tries
Robbie Smith – 1 Glasgow appearance
Lewis Wynne – 18 Glasgow appearances
WATCH: Big Jim Hamilton catches up with Stuart Hogg in RugbyPass Ventures
Comments on RugbyPass
There’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
3 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
3 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to commentsDon’t like Diamond but the maul is a joke, the sight of a choke tackle creating a maul then players in offside positions flopping on it killing the ball but then getting the put in? Banal.
3 Go to commentsHopefully Tabai Matson returns to Crusaders as head coach next season.
1 Go to commentsstorm in a teacup really. Penalty only so play on as the try was scored. Now the real question is: why was Maitland allowed to pass the ball off the floor? That is illegal but refs never pick it up.
1 Go to commentsWhen Beauden Barrett signed his contract before the 2023 RWC to play in Japan in 2024, it was NOT part of a sabbatical agreed to with NZRU prior to his signing, as was Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. Barrett changed his mind after the fact and negotiated his return to NZ Rugby and he was given permission to be eligible for All Black selection straight away once he signed a new contract to return to the Blues in 2025. Therefore, why would anyone argue against Whitelock returning to the All Blacks straight away after his season is France is finished if he signs a new contract with NZRU which includes a Super Rugby contract in 2025? If Barrett can, Whitelock should be allowed too.
10 Go to comments