The 2023–24 season will see Glasgow Warriors compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup.
Season overview
This year's academy intake saw a number of GHA players included. Finlay Burgess was transferred from Glasgow to the Edinburgh Rugby academy.
Team
Coaches
Head coach: Franco Smith Assistant coach: Peter Murchie Assistant coach: Peter Horne Assistant coach: Nigel Carolan Scrum Coach: Alasdair Dickinson Head Strength and Conditioning Coach: Cillian Reardon Senior Athletic Performance Coach: Damien O'Donoghue Sport Scientist: Robin Reidy Lead Performance Analyst: Greg Woolard Asst. Performance Analyst: Eilidh Wright Asst. Performance Analyst: Aidan FitzGerald
Staff
Managing Director: Alastair Kellock Chairman: Charles Shaw Advisory Group: Walter Malcolm, Douglas McCrea, Alan Lees, Paul Taylor, Frank Mitchell, Scott Mathieson Rugby Operations Manager: John Manson Assistant Operations Manager: Martin Malone Kit & Equipment Manager: Dougie Mills Head groundsman: Colin McKinnon Team Doctor: Dr. Jonathan Hanson Clinical Manager and Lead Physiotherapist: Andrew Boag Senior Team Physiotherapist: Hene Branders Senior Team Physiotherapist: Michael Clark Junior Physiotherapist: Christina Finlay Communications and Marketing Manager: Cameron MacAllister Marketing manager: Claire Scott Event Manager: Duncan Seller Content Producer: Robyn Struthers Administrator: Jana Tobin Communications Manager: Craig Wright Communications Assistant: Molly Mitchell Commercial Manager: Jamie Robertson Lead Account Manager: Omar Muhyeddeen Partnership Account Manager: Catherine Bunch Sponsorship Co-Ordinator: Megan Kennedy Community Manager: Stuart Lewis Business Club Manager: Adam Ashe
Squad Hookers
Fraser Brown Angus Fraser Gregor Hiddleston Johnny Matthews Grant Stewart George Turner
Props
Jamie Bhatti Allan Dell Zander Fagerson Oli Kebble Nathan McBeth Enrique Pieretto Lucio Sordoni Murphy Walker
Locks
Scott Cummings JP du Preez Richie Gray Greg Peterson Alex Samuel Max Williamson Loose Forwards
Gregor Brown Rory Darge Jack Dempsey Matt Fagerson Euan Ferrie Thomas Gordon Sintu Manjezi Jack Mann Ally Miller Sione Vailanu Henco Venter
Scrum halves
Ben Afshar Jamie Dobie George Horne Sean Kennedy
Fly halves
Tom Jordan Richie Simpson Ross Thompson Duncan Weir Centres
Huw Jones Stafford McDowall Duncan Munn Sione Tuipulotu
Back Three
Sebastián Cancelliere Facundo Cordero Josh McKay Kyle Rowe Ollie Smith Kyle Steyn Logan Trotter
Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 3 players
These players are given a professional contract by the Scottish Rugby Academy. Although given placements they are not contracted by Glasgow Warriors. Players graduate from the academy when a professional club contract is offered.
These players are assigned to Glasgow Warriors for the season 2023–24.
Academy players promoted in the course of the season are listed with the main squad.
Tom Banatvala – Prop Callum Norrie – Prop Callum Smyth – Prop Ryan Burke – Lock Harris McLeod – Lock Ruaraidh Hart – Flanker Jonny Morris – Flanker Matthew Urwin – Fly-half Ben Salmon – Centre Johnny Ventisei – Centre Kerr Yule – Centre Amena Caqusau – Wing Logan Jarvie – Wing Kerr Johnston – Wing Fergus Watson – Full Back
Back up players
Other players used by Glasgow Warriors over the course of the season.
Craig Miller (Ayrshire Bulls) - Prophttps://twitter.com/GlasgowWarriors/status/1781649779648332195 Corey Tait (Boroughmuir Bears) - Hooker Fraser Allan (Howe of Fife) - Hooker David Andrew (Marr) - Lock Connor Gordon (Stirling Wolves) - Flanker Mark McCornick (Newton Stewart) - Flanker Tom Smith (Stirling Wolves) - Flanker Eric Davey (Stirling Wolves) - Scrum Half James Imrie (Glasgow Hawks) - Scrum Half Connor McAlpine (Watsonians) - Scrum Half Findlay Thomson (Watsonians) - Centrehttps://glasgowwarriors.org/squad-update-27/ Luca Bardelli (Ayrshire Bulls) - Wing Aidan Cross (Southern Knights) - Wing Jack Blain (Heriot's Rugby) - Full Back Ollie Horne (Ayrshire Bulls) - Full Back Andy Stirrat (Ayrshire Bulls) - Full Back
Player statistics
During the 2023–24 season, Glasgow have used 45 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and points scored by each player.
Position Nation Name United Rugby Championship Champions Cup TotalApps(sub)TriesPointskickedApps(sub)TriesPointskickedApps(sub)Total PtsHKAngus Fraser3(5)20(1)003(6)10HKGregor Hiddleston2(5)301(1)003(6)15HKJohnny Matthews12(8)1402(1)1014(9)75HKGrant Stewart1(1)000001(1)0HKGeorge Turner3(4)202(2)005(6)10PRJamie Bhatti11(2)103(1)0014(3)5PRAllan Dell1(5)100001(5)5PRZander Fagerson12(4)004(1)0016(5)0PRNathan McBeth5(10)001(2)006(12)0PREnrique Pieretto(2)00000(2)0PRLucio Sordoni7(6)101(2)008(8)5PRMurphy Walker20000020LKScott Cummings13(3)2041017(3)15LKRichie Gray10(1)001(2)0011(3)0LKGreg Peterson3(6)001004(6)0LKAlex Samuel3(2)002(1)005(3)0LKMax Williamson7(8)202(2)009(10)10BRGregor Brown4(3)001005(3)0BRRory Darge13(1)1020015(1)5BRJack Dempsey8(1)0020010(1)0BRMatt Fagerson11(1)1040015(1)5BREuan Ferrie4(5)10(2)004(7)5BRThomas Gordon5(4)001006(4)0BRRuaraidh Hart(1)00000(1)0BRSintu Manjezi4(6)001(1)005(7)0BRAlly Miller4(7)103(1)107(8)10BRSione Vailanu6(1)20(1)006(2)10BRHenco Venter10(8)101(2)0011(10)5SHBen Afshar1(5)10(2)001(7)5SHJamie Dobie7(9)10(1)007(10)5SHGeorge Horne12(4)467411616(4)108SHSean Kennedy2(3)101003(3)5FHTom Jordan16(5)3143(2)0019(7)29FHRoss Thompson4(5)1231(1)045(6)32FHDuncan Weir5(8)1451(1)046(9)54CEHuw Jones8204201220CEStafford McDowall17403(1)0020(1)20CEDuncan Munn(2)00000(2)0CESione Tuipulotu15104101910WGSebastián Cancelliere13501101430WGFacundo Cordero41000045WGKyle Rowe13904301760WGKyle Steyn10502001225FBJosh McKay17505202235FBOllie Smith30021055
Staff movements
Coaches
Personnel in
Personnel out
Peter Horne to Scotland (Asst.) (from November 2023)
Medical
Personnel in
Personnel out
Staff
Personnel in
Personnel out
Player movements
Academy promotions
Duncan Munn from Scottish Rugby Academy Ben Afshar from Scottish Rugby Academy
Munn is on a partnership contract with Boroughmuir Bears and Glasgow Warriors Afshar is on a partnership contract with Stirling Wolves and Glasgow Warriors
Player transfers
In
Henco Venter from Sharks Kyle Rowe from London Irish Logan Trotter from London Irish Greg Peterson from Newcastle Falcons Richie Simpson from Ayrshire Bulls Grant Stewart from Ayrshire Bulls
Out
Cole Forbes to Bay of Plenty Lewis Bean to Montauban Ryan Wilson released Simon Berghan released Cameron Neild released Sam Johnson to Brive Rhys Tait to Doncaster Knights Archie Smeaton to Doncaster Knights Finlay Burgess to Edinburgh Ross McKnight to Stirling Wolves Christian Townsend to Warringah Jamie Drummond to Ayrshire Bulls Andy Stirrat to Ayrshire Bulls Domingo Miotti to Oyonnax Ali Price to Edinburgh (season-long loan) Enrique Pieretto to New South Wales Waratahs (loan)
Simpson is on a partnership contract with Ayrshire Bulls and Glasgow Warriors
Competitions
Pre-season and friendlies
Glasgow Warriors announced on 23 June 2023 a pre-season friendly match with Zebre Parma in September. The 6pm kick off was chosen so as not to clash with the Scotland versus Romania match. Zebre provided cap numbers with their player line-ups.
With 16 players at the World Cup, the Warriors fielded an experimental side with a host of academy players involved. In addition, the 22 year old scrum half Jamie Dobie was named as captain. The Warriors head coach Franco Smith explained: Tomorrow sees us take the next step in our pre-season preparations, as we take on a Zebre Parma team that will test us across the field. The players have worked hard since returning to Scotstoun, and everyone is looking forward to getting back out there.
We’re also pleased to give an opportunity to some of our academy players, who have earned their opportunity with their efforts in pre-season so far. The growth of our squad and Scottish rugby overall is a priority for us, so we’re excited to give these young players their chance.
It's good to work with players we might not have the opportunity to work with so closely over the rest of the season. So it's a huge opportunity to work with these young players, the next generation of Scottish players and Glasgow Warriors players, and expose them to our environment. We’re excited about getting back out there - the players more than I am. Everybody is ready for the next step.
[Jamie Dobie] leads more by example, which we always appreciate more than just someone leading by his voice. The leadership qualities that he's presented over the last year have been extraordinary, so he's been rewarded for his manner, the way he goes about his business, and influencing the players around him. Through his contribution he merits this chance - he's definitely part of our leadership group going forward.
Franco Smith was happy with the run out for Glasgow Warriors. He was also pleased to see his son play well from the bench for Zebre. Kyle Rowe has shown tonight that there's some class about him. I think he's definitely going to be important for us. But all of these players are going to be important.
We'll have this big group coming back from the World Cup who will need to be managed physically, emotionally and mentally. So to keep everybody at their best we’re going to have to look to our depth and that's what we are working hard on at this stage.
It was fantastic to see [Franco Jnr.] and he did well. He can be happy with what he brought to it in the second half.
The away fixture to Cavan to play Ulster proved just too much for the young Warriors side. Franco Smith was nevertheless happy with what he saw from the players: I think without the ball we were really good. We probably made between 220 and 230 tackles which is what is necessary from a fitness perspective, from a character perspective, from a team-building perspective.
In that regard I'm really happy with the players attitude.
I'm obviously disappointed we didn't get anything going in attack. I think Ulster deprived us well of ball at the breakdown specifically so there's a lot of work to do but that's in our DNA so I don't have too much concern about that.
Look, again, there's a young bunch of players, players that didn't get the opportunity last season that have worked hard in preseason.
Match 1
Glasgow Warriors: 1. Nathan McBeth, 2. Angus Fraser. 3. Lucio Sordoni, 4. Alex Samuel, 5. Euan Ferrie, 6. Gregor Brown, 7. Ally Miller, 8. Henco Venter, 9. Jamie Dobie [captain], 10. Ross Thompson, 11. Kyle Rowe, 12. Tom Jordan, 13. Duncan Munn, 14. Sebastian Cancelliere, 15. Facundo Cordero Replacements: 16. Corey Tait, 17. Tom Banatvala, 18. Callum Norrie, 19. Ruaraidh Hart, 20. Jonny Morris, 21. Ben Afshar, 22. Duncan Weir, 23. Ben Salmon, 24. Kerr Johnston, 25. Luca Bardelli, 26. Ollie Horne
Zebre: 15. Jacopo Trulla (41), 14. Simone Brisighella (0), 13. Fetuli Paea (0), 12. Enrico Lucchin (55), 11. Simone Gesi (20), 10. Giovanni Montemauri (0), 9. Gonzalo Garcia (2), 8. Giacomo Ferrari [Captain] (7), 7. Bautista Stavile (0), 6. Luca Andreani (29), 5. Leonard Krumov (88), 4. Matteo Canali (0), 3. Juan Pitinari (15), 2. Giampietro Ribaldi (18), 1. Alessio Sanavia (7) Replacements: 16. Giovanni Quattrini (0), 17. Muhamed Hasa (13), 18. Riccardo Genovese (5), 19. Andrea Zambonin (34), 20. Nicola Piantella (0), 21. Davide Ruggeri (11), 22. Iacopo Bianchi (43), 23. Thomas Dominguez (0), 24. Tiff Eden (17), 25. Franco Smith Jr (14), 26. Ben Cambriani (0)
Match 2
Glasgow Warriors: 1. Nathan McBeth, 2. Angus Fraser, 3. Lucio Sordoni, 4. Max Williamson, 5. Alex Samuel, 6. Gregor Brown, 7. Ally Miller, 8. Henco Venter, 9. Jamie Dobie [Captain], 10. Duncan Weir, 11. Kyle Rowe, 12. Tom Jordan, 13. Duncan Munn, 14. Sebastian Cancelliere, 15. Josh McKay