Cusiter wants to be Scotland No.9 again
Glasgow Warriors have delivered a significant statement of intent by securing Chris Cusiter, a British & Irish Lion and one of the leading scrumhalves in the world game, on a long-term deal.
Cusiter, who has agreed a three-year contract extension until the end of May 2015, is the seventh Warrior to commit his future to the club in the past seven weeks, and his retention will be celebrated by teammates and supporters alike.
“I’m delighted to have signed for another three years, and I’m genuinely excited about what we’re in a position to realise here during that period of time,” Cusiter said.
“I’m personally very ambitious: I want to perform to a very high level with the Warriors in the Pro 12 and Heineken Cup, helping the team achieve success, and I’m also determined to establish myself as the first choice scrumhalf for Scotland.
“When I came to think about my future, my priority was making sure I was at a club that would help me reach those goals.
“I had a number of positive conversations with [Warriors head coach] Sean Lineen, [Scottish Rugby director of performance rugby] Graham Lowe and [Scottish Rugby chief executive] Mark Dodson, and was energised by what they had to say and by the challenge that lies ahead for us all.
“The vision is for the Warriors to become a regularly winning team in both the Pro 12 and Heineken Cup, and to become a real focal point for rugby in Glasgow and the west of Scotland.”
Head coach Sean Lineen couldn’t hide his delight at retaining the services of what he calls “a real world class performer”, who joined the club in 2009 fresh from helping Perpignan win the French Top 14 title.
“Chris is an absolute joy to work with. He’s a fantastic talent who knows the value of continuous hard work, and he’s a positive and influential figure in our dressing room.
“He had his fair share of frustrations at the Rugby World Cup, but I knew he’d come back and react in the way he has. His form in a Glasgow jersey over the last month has been tremendous, and I’m looking forward to seeing much more of the same in the next three years.”
