Warriors add Aussie prop to their armour

NEWS: Glasgow Warriors have bolstered their front-row options with the signing or Australian international prop Sam Talakai.

The former Rebels forward agreed to join the defending champions ahead of the 2024/25 season.

The 32-year-old will link up with his new team-mates at Scotstoun in the coming weeks, joining Scotland internationals Zander Fagerson and Murphy Walker, as well as new arrivals, Patrick Schickerling and Fin Richardson, and academy prospects Callum Norrie and Jake Shearer, on the tight-head side of the scrum.

A seasoned campaigner in Super Rugby, Talakai brings a wealth of experience to Scotstoun, with 100 matches in the competition to his name since making his professional debut.

Talakai’s form saw him drafted into the Australia squad for the 2022 Nations Series, with former Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Dave Rennie handing the tight-head his international debut by selecting him amongst the replacements for a 39-34 victory over Wales in Cardiff.

“I’m really looking forward to joining the squad,” Talakai told glasgowwarriors.org following his signing.

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about the club and the people, and the direction the club is heading played a big part.

“The rugby program is impressive, there’s a great squad assembled and my kids getting to experience a new culture – both as part of Glasgow Warriors and in the city of Glasgow – is the cherry on top.”

“I spoke with Franco earlier in the year and he talked about the club’s vision and the direction we’re traveling as a group. It was an impressive catch-up and I’m excited to get stuck in.

“Since then, I’ve been in regular contact with Sione [Tuipulotu]. We played together in Australia and he spoke really highly of the club, the group, and the city. Those conversations, and hearing the positive things everyone has to say about the club, made the decision quite easy for me in the end.

“On the field, I’m someone who just goes to work and executes my core role for the team. Off the field, I’m pretty chilled. My family and I will look to settle in and connect to the community, and we’re looking forward to meeting the Warrior Nation soon.”

Head Coach Franco Smith added: “Sam is a proven performer who we believe can add to our squad this season.

“To play 100 matches in Super Rugby shows the consistently high levels of performance he brings, and to have someone with that experience in our squad that our young, Scottish-qualified front-rowers can learn from can only benefit both the club and Scottish rugby in the long-term.

“Adding Sam also allows us to manage the workload of our senior international front-rowers, across what will be a long and physical season.

“We look forward to welcoming him to Scotstoun and to our squad in the coming weeks.”

✍️ From Rebel to Warrior

Australian international prop Sam Talakai has become our latest recruit ahead of 2024/25, making the switch to Scotstoun ahead of the new campaign 💪

Welcome, Sam! 😃

More: https://t.co/N1VL5loUPd#WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/xBqLInAXUP

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) August 21, 2024