Once A Warrior 2016: Part 5 – Brief Encounters

OTOTM’s final piece on 2015/16’s leavers takes in the players whose time with the Warriors was short but who still made a contribution to the club.

Will Bordill demonstrated all the attributes required to be a successful open side flanker during his seven appearance in the 2014/15 season – thumping tackles; turnovers; poaching a try; standing offside a lot; and (of course) being sent to the sin bin. The arrivals of Simone Favaro and Hugh Blake were always likely to restrict his opportunities though and unfortunately he didn’t feature at all in 2015/16. He did, however, have a successful campaign with Ayr, topping the table during the regular season and playing in a cup semi final and the league playoff final – and he’ll continue to turn out in pink and black this year.

Kieran Low‘s time at Glasgow was brief and to the point. After moving from London Irish he featured four times for the Warriors during the RWC, showing some deft touches and looking like a useful addition before a concussion took him out of contention. He was listed as injured for eight weeks before it was announced that he was heading back to another ‘London’ club and would spend the rest of the season on loan at Saracens. Despite being contracted for the 2016/17 season it was announced during the summer that he was leaving the Warriors.

Timing is everything, or so they say. This certainly appears to have been the case for the very unfortunate Fergus Scott. He started the opening fixture of the season on the bench for the Warriors but by the time the campaign ended he was one of three hookers announced as leaving the club. Matt’s wee brother must have cursed the luck that saw him pick up a shoulder injury at the same time as Glasgow’s three senior number 2s were missing for large chunks of the season. With Fergus also absent it was left to James Malcolm to grab the chance presented – which he did with aplomb, making 13 appearances and picking up a full-time pro contract for 2016/17. Fergus is going back to his roots and will no doubt have a big impact for Currie this season.

The latest in a long line of signings who collectively suggest that the Warriors’ hierarchy are intent on making Hugh Dan McLennan’s life as difficult as possible, Shalva Mamukashvili was parachuted in at short notice to provide cover during the great hooking crisis of 2015. (Seriously – the club can’t have been far away from begging Dougie Hall to come out of retirement!) Having helped the team get through a difficult situation, Shalva didn’t feature in the latter part of the season. He remains part of a Georgian national side that goes from strength to strength though. Unbeaten in a three game Pacific Islands tour over the summer the Lelos will be looking to increase the pressure for Six Nations promotion/relegation with a big performance at Rugby Park in November.

Gregor Hunter spent two seasons with the Warriors, although with the first blighted by a knee injury 2015/16 proved to be his only real chance to show what he was capable of. He managed one start and one sub appearance (and was unused on the bench twice). Again timing was an issue, a concussion he picked up meant he missed the Leinster game at home when Glasgow had no other fit 10s available – a few frantic calls later and it was Rory Clegg flying in at the last minute to fill the stand off berth. Gregor is another returning to where it all began, heading back to Gala where he will also take up the role of youth development officer.

The first thing that stood out about Javan Sebastian when signing rumours were going around last summer was his truly terrible picture. If the Warrriors have given him nothing more than a decent headshot then at least his experience of Glasgow has had some benefit! Another who was part of an eventful club season, he was voted Ayr’s young player of the season. Javan is now back with Carmarthen Quins in Wales.

Steven Findlay and Jason Hill both put in solid performances in the friendly against the Army early on in the season. The two forwards were with Glasgow throughout the campaign, although they couldn’t quite make that breakthrough into a Pro 12 matchday squad. Steven decided an Australian winter was preferable to a Scottish summer, taking himself over to play for Eastern Suburbs in Sydney before returning to anchor the Glasgow Hawks’ pack for 2016/17. Jason’s club season couldn’t have gone much better as he featured in both the Cup and Premiership Finals as Heriots won a domestic double – form which has seen him pick up a contract with English Championship side Bedford Blues.

Thanks and best wishes to all those who have left the club over the past few months!