During the 2016–17 season, the Glasgow Warriors competed in the Guinness Pro12 and the European Champions Cup. It was the team's last season under head coach Gregor Townsend. Due to the flooding of its grass pitch, an artificial turf surface was installed at Scotstoun Stadium.
Overview Coaching changes and new pitch It was announced at the beginning of the season that it would be the last under head coach Gregor Townsend. Townsend was announced as taking over the Scotland head-coach role from Vern Cotter in the summer of 2017. The SRU named Townsend's successor, Dave Rennie (New Zealand head coach of the Super Rugby Chiefs), two days later. The Chiefs had won the Super Rugby title twice under Rennie.
Jason O'Halloran and Jonathan Humphreys were later also announced as joining the Warriors for the 2017–18 season. To avoid the problems which plagued the 2015–16 season (when Scotstoun Stadium became unplayable due to flooding), a new artificial-grass pitch was installed at the stadium.
Objectives
Since this would be head coach Gregor Townsend's last season with the Warriors, a good European run was a key target; the Warriors had never qualified for the quarter-finals of the European Champions Cup.
The Pro12 league began in 2011–12. Every year since then, the Warriors had made the play-offs during the final weeks; this was another target. The 1872 Cup had been held by Edinburgh Rugby for the previous two seasons, despite Glasgow finishing above Edinburgh in the Pro12 league in every year of Townsend's tenure, and Glasgow wanted the cup back west.
Results
A mixed season saw the team qualify for the European Champions Cup quarter-final for the first time, losing to the eventual champion Saracens. The Warriors missed a Pro12 play-off place for the first time, and the Autumn International and Six Nations Championship were particularly challenging.
Although the Warriors won the 1872 Cup, they lost their home match to Edinburgh for the first time.
Townsend era
During Gregor Townsend's five-year tenure with the Warriors, he guided the team to the 2014-15 Pro12 title and a European Champions Cup quarter-final for the first time in 2016–17. Except for this season, the team made the Pro12 play-offs every year he was head coach.
Team
Coaches
Head coach: Gregor Townsend Assistant coach: Matt Taylor Assistant coach: Kenny Murray Assistant coach: Dan McFarland Assistant coach: Mike Blair Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach: Stuart Yule Asst. Strength and Conditioning Coach: Thibault Giroud Asst. Strength and Conditioning Coach: George Petrakos Lead Performance Analyst: Gavin Vaughan Asst. Performance Analyst: Greg Woolard
Staff
Managing Director: Nathan Bombrys Chairman: Charles Shaw Advisory Group: Walter Malcolm, Douglas McCrea, Alan Lees, Jim Preston, Paul Taylor Rugby Operations Manager: John Manson Kit manager & Masseur: Dougie Mills Clinical Manager: Lisa Casey Team physiotherapist: Nicola McGuire Rehabilitation Physiotherapist: Gabrielle McCullough Team doctor: Dr. David Pugh Commercial Operations Manager: Alastair Kellock Communications Manager: Jeremy Bone Communications Asst: Jack Reid Operations manager: Stephanie Karvelis Marketing and Partnerships Manager: Darroch Ramsay Partnership Sales Manager: Laura Hynd Partnership Account Manager: Oliver Norman Partnership Account Manager: Jim Taylor Game On Project Development Officer: Lindsey Smith Community Rugby Coach: Stuart LewisGlasgow Wariors v Treviso 28.10.16 match programme
Squad Hookers
Fraser Brown Corey Flynn Pat MacArthur James Malcolm
Props
Alex Allan Zander Fagerson Jarrod Firth Ryan Grant Sila Puafisi D'Arcy Rae Gordon Reid Djustice Sears-Duru
Locks
Brian Alainu'uese Scott Cummings Jonny Gray Greg Peterson Tim Swinson Tjiuee Uanivi Loose forwards
Adam Ashe Hugh Blake Simone Favaro Chris Fusaro Rob Harley Langilangi Haupeakui Ruaridh MacKenzie Matt Smith Josh Strauss Ryan Wilson Lewis Wynne
Scrum halves
Grayson Hart Nemia Kenatale Ali Price Henry Pyrgos
Fly halves
Rory Clegg Finn Russell Hagen Schulte Brandon Thomson Centres
Mark Bennett Alex Dunbar Nick Grigg Peter Horne Sam Johnson Fraser Lyle Richie Vernon
Back three
Junior Bulumakau Rory Hughes Lee Jones Sean Lamont Tommy Seymour Stuart Hogg Peter Murchie Leonardo Sarto Ratu Tagive
Scottish Rugby Academy players assigned to a professional club were Stage 3 players. They were assigned to the Warriors for the season. Academy players promoted during the season are listed with the main squad.
Cameron Fenton - Prop / Hooker Jamie Bhatti - Prop Callum Hunter-Hill - Lock Sam Thomson - Lock Bruce Flockhart - Flanker Matt Fagerson - No. 8
George Horne - Scrum half Patrick Kelly - Centre Robert Beattie - Wing
Other players used by the Warriors during the season:
Josh Henderson (Glasgow Hawks) – Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 2 player - Fly-half Shaun MacDonald (Stirling County) – Flanker Alex Taylor (Stirling County) – Number Eight Peter McCallum (Ayr) – Number Eight Rob McAlpine (Ayr) – Lock Adam Nicol (Stirling County) – Prop Kiran McDonald - (Glasgow Hawks) – Lock
Player statistics
During the season, Glasgow used 57 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and points scored by each player.
Position Nation Name Pro12 Champions Cup TotalApps(sub)TriesPointskickedApps(sub)TriesPointskickedApps(sub)Total PtsHKFraser Brown10(1)1072017(1)15HKCorey Flynn5(7)30(3)005(10)15HKPat MacArthur7(8)20(4)107(12)10HKJames Malcolm1(4)100001(4)5PRAlex Allan9(9)10(7)009(16)5PRJamie Bhatti1(5)000001(5)0PRZander Fagerson5(5)0070012(5)0PRRyan Grant(3)00000(3)0PRAdam Nicol(1)00000(1)0PRSila Puafisi11(8)10(5)0011(13)5PRD'Arcy Rae6(8)00(2)006(10)0PRGordon Reid11(2)1070018(2)5PRDjustice Sears-Duru1(3)000001(3)0LKBrian Alainu'uese11(2)001(2)0012(4)0LKScott Cummings5(3)200005(3)10LKJonny Gray11207101815LKCallum Hunter-Hill(1)00000(1)0LKRob McAlpine1(3)000001(3)0LKGreg Peterson2(1)00(1)002(2)0LKTim Swinson12(1)2060018(1)10LKSam Thomson(1)00000(1)0LKTjiuee Uanivi1(4)000001(4)0BRAdam Ashe5(3)201006(3)10BRMatt Fagerson3(4)10(1)003(5)5BRSimone Favaro8(1)001(1)009(2)0BRChris Fusaro7(4)00(4)007(8)0BRRob Harley16(3)1070023(3)5BRLangilangi Haupeakui(4)00000(4)0BRMatt Smith2(1)100002(1)5BRJosh Strauss8105(1)1013(1)10BRRyan Wilson10007201710BRLewis Wynne5(8)00(2)005(10)0SHGrayson Hart2(6)000002(6)0SHGeorge Horne(3)00000(3)0SHNemia Kenatale(3)00000(3)0SHAli Price8(6)304(3)2012(9)25SHHenry Pyrgos12(2)0173(3)1014(7)5FHRory Clegg4(6)1300004(6)35FHFinn Russell8(1)274705815(1)142FHHagen Schulte(1)00000(1)0FHBrandon Thomson2(1)170002(1)12CEMark Bennett9(1)303(3)3012(4)30CEAlex Dunbar9(2)206(1)1015(3)15CENick Grigg13(3)40(4)0013(7)20CEPeter Horne12(2)14210013(2)47CESam Johnson910400135CEPatrick Kelly(1)00000(1)0CERichie Vernon1(3)000001(3)0WGJunior Bulumakau3(1)200003(1)10WGRory Hughes9(4)3021011(4)20WGLee Jones12(3)2051017(3)15WGSean Lamont4(7)401205(7)30WGLeonardo Sarto5(2)101206(2)15WGTommy Seymour12805101745WGRatu Tagive(2)10000(2)5FBStuart Hogg10(1)510701017(1)45FBPeter Murchie11(1)40(2)0011(3)20
Coaching changes Promotion
Mike Blair
Personnel in
Thibault Giroud
Player movements
Academy promotions
Matt Smith from Scottish Rugby Academy Lewis Wynne from Scottish Rugby Academy
Player transfers
In
Corey Flynn from Toulouse Leonardo Sarto from Zebre Nemia Kenatale from Farul Constanța Tjiuee Uanivi from Sharks Hagen Schulte from Marist Albion
Ruaridh MacKenzie from Bond University RFC Brian Alainu'uese from Waikato Rugby Union Ratu Tagive from Eastern Suburbs
Brandon Thomson from Stormers (loan)
Out
Duncan Weir to Edinburgh Rugby Glenn Bryce to Edinburgh Rugby Kevin Bryce to Edinburgh Rugby Leone Nakarawa to Racing 92 Jerry Yanuyanutawa (released) Tyrone Holmes (released) Will Bordill to Ayr Shalva Mamukashvili (released) Fergus Scott to Currie Gregor Hunter to Gala Javan Sebastian (released) Taqele Naiyaravoro to NSW Waratahs Kieran Low (released) Hugh Blake to Bay of Plenty (loan)
Ryan Grant to Worcester Warriors Jarrod Firth to Grenoble Brandon Thomson to Stormers (loan ended) Langilangi Haupeakui (released) Rory Clegg to Ealing Trailfinders
Competitions
Pre-season and friendlies
Harlequins: 15. Aaron Morris 14. Ross Chisholm 13. Joe Marchant 12. Jamie Roberts 11. Tim Visser 10. Nick Evans 9. Danny Care (C)1. Joe Marler 2. Rob Buchanan 3. Kyle Sinckler 4. Sam Twomey 5. James Horwill 6. Chris Robshaw 7. Luke Wallace 8. Jack Clifford Replacements from Dave Ward, Cameron Holenstein, Will Collier, George Merrick, Charlie Matthews, Mat Luamanu, Charlie Mulchrone,Ruaridh Jackson, Jonas Mikalcius, Winston Stanley, James Chisholm
Glasgow Warriors: 15. Fraser Lyle 14. Leonardo Sarto 13. Nick Grigg 12. Sam Johnson 11. Rory Hughes 10. Rory Clegg 9. Grayson Hart1. Ryan Grant 2. James Malcolm 3. D'Arcy Rae 4. Tim Swinson 5. Scott Cummings 6. Rob Harley (C) 7. Simone Favarro 8. Lewis WynneReplacements (all used): Alex Dunbar, Ali Price, Callum Hunter-Hill, Djustice Sears-Duru, Hagen Schulte, Junior Bulumakau, Pat MacArthur, Richie Vernon, Tjiuee Uanivi and Zander Fagerson.
Gloucester: 15. Tom Marshall, 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Matt Scott, 12. Billy Twelvetrees, 11. Henry Purdy, 10. Billy Burns, 9. Greig Laidlaw (C) 1.Yann Thomas, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. John Afoa, 4. Joe Latta, 5. Mariano Galarza, 6. Ross Moriarty, 7. Matt Kvesic, 8. Ben Morgan Replacements from Darren Dawidiuk, Paddy McAllister, Paul Doran-Jones; Tom Denton; Lewis Ludlow, Callum Braley, James Hook; Mark Atkinson, Alex Craig, Dan Thomas, Andy Symons, Gareth Evans, Elliott Creed, Lloyd Evans, David Halaifonua, Charlie Beckett
Glasgow Warriors: 15. Rory Hughes. 14. Leonardo Sarto, 13. Alex Dunbar, 12. Sam Johnson, 11. Sean Lamont, 10. Peter Horne9. Henry Pyrgos (C), 1. Gordon Reid, 2. Corey Flynn, 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Greg Peterson, 5. Scott Cummings, 6. Rob Harley,7. Fraser Brown, 8. Ryan Wilson Replacements: (used:) Ryan Grant, Pat MacArthur, Sila Puafisi, Tim Swinson, Tjiuee Uanivi, Simone Favaro, Lewis Wynne, Ali Price, Rory Clegg, Richie Vernon, Fraser Lyle, (unused:) D'Arcy Rae, Grayson Hart
Glasgow Warriors: Peter Murchie (C), Junior Bulumakau (Robert Beattie, 41), Nick Grigg (Patrick Kelly*, 44), Fraser Lyle (Patrick Kelly*, 41–43), Lee Jones (rep:Rory Hughes, 41); Hagen Schulte (Josh Henderson*, 61), Nemia Kenatale (George Horne*, 7); Alex Allan (Rep: Jamie Bhatti, 49), James Malcolm (Cameron Fenton*, 41), D'Arcy Rae (Jarrod Firth, 49), Sam Thomson, Greg Peterson (Kiran McDonald, 49), Callum Hunter-Hill* (Shaun MacDonald, 41), Matt Fagerson*, Peter McCallum (Alex Taylor, 41). [* Member of the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy]
Canada A: J Wilson-Ross (James Bay D Joyce, Dublin University, 68); K Lloyd (Mississauga Blues), M Samson (Calgary Saints, D Fraser, Ladysmith, 55), P Parfrey (Swilers), D Moor (Balmy Beach, S Hayward, Sydney, 68); R Povey (Bedford, G du Toit, UVIC Vikes, 30), G McRorie (Calgary Hornets, A McMullan, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, 70); D Sears-Duru (Glasgow Warriors, A Luca, Burnaby Lake, 61), E Howard (Brantford Harlequins, A Mascott, UBC Thunderbirds, 38–41), R Kotlewski (Calgary Saints, C McClary, Port Alberni, 57), C Keys (UVic Vikes), K Baillie (Ohio, A Wadden, Oakville Crusaders, 63), A Cejvanovic (Burnaby Lake), N Dala (Castaway Wanderers, M Heaton, Darlington Mowden Park, 49), T Larsen.
Pro12
The Pro12 began with an away match at defending champions Connacht, the club which had taken the title from them the previous season. The Warriors were eager for the match, and secured a try bonus victory at Galway Sportgrounds; Peter Horne later said, "I think that really told when we finally played them in the first game of the season and hammered them. It was frustration about why we hadn't been able to do it at the end of last year."