Glasgow Warriors

History

Glasgow Warriors are a continuation of the amateur Glasgow District side founded in 1872.

For the history of Glasgow as an amateur district side see:

Reshaped as a professional club in 1996, Glasgow Warriors were originally known as Glasgow Rugby before rebranding as Glasgow Caledonians in 1998 by a merger with the Caledonian Reds. They dropped the Caledonians to become Glasgow Rugby in 2001 again and finally rebranded as the Glasgow Warriors in 2005.

District Sides

Scotland had four District Sides:- North and Midlands; South; Glasgow District and Edinburgh District. Glasgow and Edinburgh were formed in 1872 and played the world's first ever inter-district match on 23 November of that year. This was known as the 'Inter-City' derby; originally a twice a season event until 1876, then became annual thereafter.

The district sides capped the best amateur players from their area's club sides to play inter-district matches and matches against touring sides. The Scottish Inter-District Championship began in 1953-54 (and so encompassed the traditional Inter-City derby). Unlike the Scottish clubs (and Ireland's provincial sides), the Scottish district sides had no settled home and were not members of their Rugby Union. This meant when Scottish rugby embraced professionalism it was not clear if a model based on districts or clubs would be used.

Professional model: Club or District

It was not clear which route professionalism would go in Scotland. This created a turbulent start for professionalism in Scotland and left Scotland far behind fast-embracing Ireland in the set up of its professional structure. The first season of the Heineken Cup in 1995–96 was run without any Scottish teams in European competition.

An EGM was held by the SRU for its member clubs to debate the matter and try and settle the issue on 8 February 1996. The SRU management was in favour of districts and its Vice-President Fred McLeod and Jim Telfer argued for the proposal. In favour of the clubs to be represented in Europe were former Scotland internationalists Gavin Hastings and Keith Robertson. Critically a speech from the floor from Brian Simmers of Glasgow Academicals – arguing that Hastings and Robertson didn't have the best interests of Scottish rugby at heart and they were arguing only for their own clubs – swung the debate and the District model won by 178 to 24.

The four amateur district teams Glasgow, Edinburgh, South of Scotland and North and Midlands were to become the professional sides Glasgow Warriors, Edinburgh Rugby, Border Reivers and the Caledonia Reds.

Formation of Glasgow Warriors

Glasgow Rugby was created in 1996 to compete in the Heineken Cup, because the Scottish Rugby Union did not think that Scottish club sides would be able to compete against the best teams from France and England.

For a detailed season by season guide of Glasgow Warriors history see:

Scottish Inter-District Championship

Glasgow and the other three Scottish districts competed in the Scottish Inter-District Championship to determine their European Qualifying; the leagues positions determining whether they entered the Heineken Cup or the Challenge Cup for the following season.

Due to Glasgow District's bottom placing in the 1995–96 Scottish Inter-District Championship, Glasgow was entered into the 1996–97 European Challenge Cup where they finished second bottom of their group.

Results improved somewhat domestically in 1996-97 with Glasgow securing second place in that season's Inter-District Championship behind Caledonia Reds.

That meant that Glasgow qualified for the Heineken Cup for the first time, in the 1997–98 season. In their group stage that season finishing second, they qualified out of the group only to be well beaten in the Quarter Final play-off by Leicester Tigers.

Merger with Caledonia Reds

Because of the SRU's high debt, partly as a result of the redevelopment of Murrayfield Stadium, there was a recognised need for further reorganisation. After two seasons, Glasgow merged with the Caledonia Reds to form a team that would be known as Glasgow Caledonians.

Edinburgh Rugby similarly merged with the Border Reivers. In effect, both the Glasgow and Edinburgh clubs took over the other districts. Glasgow's new 'Caledonian' label was later quietly dropped at the start of the 2001–02 season, with the team name becoming once again Glasgow Rugby.

Only two professional sides remaining meant that the 1998–99 Scottish Inter-District Championship was fought out in a three match 'Tri-Series' battle between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The combined sides did not fare better in Europe. Glasgow finished bottom of their group in the 1998–99 Heineken Cup. The SRU realised that Glasgow and Edinburgh needed more competition domestically than each other and so began a successful dialogue with the Welsh Rugby Union that resulted in both Scottish sides being entered in the WRU Challenge Cup in early 1999.

Welsh-Scottish League

The WRU Challenge Cup was deemed a success and the SRU and WRU announced a new league system for the 1999-2000 season. The Welsh-Scottish League was essentially the Welsh Premier Division augmented by the Glasgow and Edinburgh sides.

This meant the end of the Scottish Inter-District Championship although it did continue as before with the amateur district sides. The 1999-2000 season's Tri-Series was ran without a sponsor. Glasgow won the title, but at a cost; they had beaten Edinburgh 4 times that season (including twice in the Tri-Series) and Edinburgh's only win was the 5th match, a dead rubber at the end of the Tri-Series. The fans didn't like the format and it was scrapped.

The Welsh-Scottish League lasted three seasons. Although both Glasgow and Edinburgh finished no higher than mid-table for those three seasons, it did provide the Scottish sides with much needed competition. It was looked on as a successful model of co-operation between two rugby unions. The Irish Rugby Football Union began talks with the SRU and WRU about further extending the co-operation in a new Celtic League.

Celtic League

The Celtic League began in truncated fashion in the autumn of 2001 with the addition of the four Irish provincial teams in two pools; Glasgow reached the semi-finals of the inaugural competition, but struggled thereafter.

In its first year the Celtic League ran concurrently with the 2001–02 Welsh-Scottish League but fixture congestion meant that the Welsh-Scottish tournament was scrapped in favour of the new league. The new Celtic League was an instant success and the SRU took the opportunity to resurrect one of its disbanded districts in 2002. The Border Reivers were thus reborn for 2002-03 season.

The Celtic League remained in its truncated 'pools' form for 2002-03 season before its expansion to a full league set-up the following season. This gave the SRU a one-off chance to revive the 2002–03 Scottish Inter-District Championship as a professional tournament. Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Borders fought in out in what was the final professional Inter-District championship; the Bank of Scotland Pro Cup. Glasgow finished bottom of the table.

In 2004–05 Glasgow had been fifth in the Celtic League, the best placing of the three Scottish teams that existed at that time.

Starting with the 2005–06 season, the team was again rebranded, this time as the Glasgow Warriors.

1872 Cup

Disappointing results for the Border Reivers saw them disband again in 2007. With only two professional sides once again, the SRU took the opportunity to dust down and rename the 1995 Scottish Inter-District Championship trophy and use the two Celtic League fixtures between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby as a mini-cup tournament. The Glasgow-Edinburgh 'inter-city' derby dates back to 1872 and is the oldest provincial match in the world. To mark this, the 1872 Cup thus began in 2007-08.

Pro12

The Celtic League was rebranded as the Pro12 league in season 2011–12. This was to better reflect the entry of the Italian sides into the Celtic League.

The Pro12 league format has a top four play-off system to decide the champions.

Since the Pro12 started in season 2011–12, Glasgow Warriors are the only team that have made the play-offs in every year.

Stadium

For the most part, Glasgow Warriors through the years have played their matches in Glasgow either at Hughenden Stadium, Firhill Stadium - or Scotstoun Stadium; their current base.

A closer look at the club's history reveals a more nomadic nature. Some of this was planned as the club took over the Caledonia Reds district; or a liberal spreading of the Warriors brand to various grounds for friendlies and smaller ties; and some of this was caused by inclement weather. The laying of a synthetic pitch at Scotstoun Stadium for the 2016-17 season it is hoped should forestall those weather-related issues.

Stadia moves

Originally based at Hughenden Stadium in 1996-97, Glasgow moved to Scotstoun Stadium for the 1997-98 season.

The merger with the Caledonia Reds for the 1998-99 season caused the Warriors to play their matches not only at Hughenden Stadium and Firhill Stadium in Glasgow, but also at Perth's McDiarmid Park and Aberdeen's Rubislaw Playing Fields as it consolidated the traditional North and Midlands district.

The following year saw the Warriors additionally play at Bridgehaugh Park in Stirling. the Caledonian Stadium in Inverness and Millbrae in Ayr.

From the 2000-01 season Glasgow settled in Hughenden Stadium through to the middle of 2005-06 season, after which Firhill Stadium was used briefly. However the following year Hughenden Stadium was used again.

The Warriors moved to Firhill Stadium in 2007–08 season and that was the club's base until the summer of 2012.

In 2012, Glasgow Warriors moved from Firhill back to Scotstoun Stadium, which had previously been the club's training base.

In addition to those grounds above:- Rugby Park in Kilmarnock; Old Anniesland in Glasgow; Braidholm in Giffnock; Whitecraigs in Newton Mearns; London Road in Stranraer; and Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh have all hosted home matches for the Glasgow side.

Fans

Appropriately for a side that has played its home games from Stanraer to Inverness and Aberdeen to Edinburgh, as well as Glasgow; the fans for the provincial Glasgow side are collectively known as the Warrior Nation.

Home

Although the current Scotstoun Stadium capacity has been occasionally been increased to 10,000 for selected matches, the 2016-17 standard capacity at home is now 7351, which regularly sells out. There is now a record number of season ticket holders at the club.

Such is the demand for tickets at Glasgow, it has been reported that Mark Dodson, chief executive of the Scottish Rugby Union, is in talks with Glasgow City Council about building a bigger stand on the railway side of Scotstoun Stadium.

A quirk of such high demand is seen when you compare the 2015-16 standard capacity at Scotstoun (6800) with Glasgow's seasonal average attendance (6950) The seasonal higher than capacity average was made possible when Scotstoun Stadium became unplayable that winter and home games were switched to the higher capacity grounds of Rugby Park and Murrayfield Stadium.

Away

The away support of the Glasgow Warriors ranges from about 300 fans for a Pro12 match in Italy to around several thousand fans for the 1872 Cup away match against Edinburgh Rugby at Murrayfield Stadium.

The Pro12 Grand Finals of 2014-15 season and 2015-16 season, in Dublin and Belfast respectively, saw around 4 to 5 thousand of the Warrior Nation follow their team to Ireland each time.

Fanzones

Various public houses around Glasgow operate as Fanzones for the club. The official Fanzone for the 2016-17 season is The Crafty Pig.

Records and Achievements

For Amateur era see:

Honours

Season standings

Competing as Glasgow Warriors unless stated.
Competing as ᵜ Glasgow Rugby.
Competing as ᵝ Glasgow Caledonian Reds.

Partial list of games played against international opposition

For international games in amateur era see: Glasgow District
Competing as Glasgow Warriors unless stated. Scores and results list Glasgow Warrior's points tally first.
Competing as ᵜ Glasgow Rugby. Competing as ᵝ Glasgow Caledonian Reds.

Current squad

Senior squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Academy players

Scottish Rugby Academy players who have been assigned to a professional club are Stage 3 players. The Stage 3 players assigned to Glasgow Warriors for the season 2016-17 are below.

Academy players promoted in the course of the season are listed with the main squad.

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Notable former players

For amateur era see:

The Centurions

Former players who have reached the 100 caps mark for Glasgow Warriors
Players not given a full senior international rugby union cap by their country under World Rugby rules. ♟

British and Irish Lions from Glasgow Warriors

The following former Glasgow players, in addition to representing Scotland, have also represented the British and Irish Lions.

Scotland

The following (not previously listed above) former Glasgow players have represented Scotland at full international level.

Notable non-Scottish players

The following is a list of notable non-Scottish (not previously listed above) international representative former Glasgow players:

Notable also outside of rugby

The following is a list of notable (not previously listed above) former Glasgow players who have achieved notability in fields outwith rugby:

Celtic League Team of the Year

Pro12 Team of the Year