Time for a first detailed look at the ‘Official’ On Top Of The Moon Depth Chart for 2018/19. The Warriors’ squad might not be 100% finalised, with a gap for a loosehead and the situation for the backup hookers not completely resolved, but it’s very much tinkering around the edges now.
For a look at last campaign’s Depth Chart click here.
Here is the full OTOTM Depth Chart for Glasgow 2018/19 (click for large version):
Main squad facts and figures
Squad size:
- There are currently 48 full-time pros confirmed for this year’s squad (including James Malcolm and Kevin Bryce on short-term deals and Lewis Wynne who is on loan at London Scottish but can be recalled if Glasgow need him).
- There are also 2 Partnership players, 1 on loan and 11 SRA stage 3).
- That compares to 43 + 1 + 0 + 13 that the club started last season with.
- Richie Vernon was confirmed as part of the squad after the 2017/18 Depth Chart went to press; Niko Matawalu and Ryan Grant were late arrivals in the early part of the season; Matt Fagerson signed a pro contract during the campaign; and DTH van der Merwe was able to join up early after being signed for the 2018/19 season.
- Overall the Warriors’ full-time squad averaged 46 players last season.
Age:
- The squad is a little more experienced with the average age now standing at 26.2 compared to 25.6 last year.
- The average for the first team is 27.5 v 26.2.
- There are 6 players over the age of 30 at the start of the season – with another 3 hitting that milestone during September. That’s up from 4 last year.
- Siosiua Halanukonuka is the oldest player in the squad (as he was last year) at 32 years and 1 month.
- Matt Fagerson (20 years and 1 month) is the youngest player in the full-time squad. Bruce Flockhart, Robbie Nairn and Adam Nicol are all also younger than Scott Cummings who was the junior player at the start of last season.
Caps:
- There are 32 capped players (25 Scots and 7 others) with 607 Test caps among them.
- That’s a jump from September 2017 when there were 27 capped internationals in the main squad of 43 players with 449 caps (22 Scots and 5 others)
Appearances:
- The players have a total of 2,399 Warriors appearances behind them.
- They include 10 Warrior Centurions who account for more than half (1,294) of the previous matches played for the club.
- Before the season started there were 4 players in the main squad who had yet to make their Warriors’ debut. Nick Frisby was the only one to break his duck against Connacht at the weekend.
- Rob Harley overtook Graeme Morrison’s club record for appearances last season. Big Bad Bob needs 16 more games to become the first man to 200 caps for the club.
- Niko Matawalu is next in line to become a Warrior Centurion – he currently stands on 93 appearances. Jonny Gray could also join that exclusive group if he manages 13 more games this season.
Development:
- 23 (compared to 21 last year) of the main squad have progressed directly from the Scottish Rugby Academy or its predecessor, Elite Development Player contracts (48% of current full-time players – 49% last season).
- Of the remaining players:
- 7 came from Super Rugby;
- 6 from the Gallagher Premiership;
- 5 from other PRO14 clubs;
- And there were 7 ‘others’ (Moseley, Loughborough, Heriots, Waikato, Honda Heat, Hull and Utah Warriors).
- 7 of the players who came to Glasgow from other clubs were involved in the EDP or SRA systems at some stage in their career.
Not Scottish Qualified:
- Forwards – 6 of 27 players in the main squad are not eligible to play for Scotland (22% – the equivalent figure was 26% last season).
- Backs – 6 of 21 players are not Scots qualified (29% – compared to 25% in 2017/18).
- Total – 12 of 48 players (25%). Last season 11 of 43 (26%).
- Nationalities – 9 in total (2017/18 – 8)
- 36 players – Scottish (or Scottish-qualified).
- 2 players each – American, Australian, New Zealander, South African.
- 1 player each – Canadian, Fijian, Samoan, Tongan.
For previous analysis of Glasgow (and Edinburgh’s) recruitment click here.
For an off-season take on Glasgow’s Top 30 players click here.
On Top Of The Moon 