Roddy Grant will return to Edinburgh Rugby as an assistant forwards coach under Richard Cockerill next season, it has been announced.
The hugely popular Scotland A and 7s cap steps up from his position in the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy to the role of Assistant Forwards Coach. It means that Richard Cockerill now has three Scottish assistants under his care, with Attack Coach Duncan Hodge and Defence Coach Calum MacRae already confirmed last week.
Current forwards coach Stevie Scott will move on from the club but there is no word on his destination. Coaching Romania or Georgia seems to be a popular choice for ex-Edinburgh coaches…
If you’re a Scottish fan suffering from a lack of rugby with anything at stake now the season is over, there are still a few Scots on show with Matt Scott starting and Greig Laidlaw on the bench for Gloucester tonight, while Duncan Taylor and Jim Hamilton are on the bench for Saracens in the Champions Cup final tomorrow.
Glasgow have signed former New Zealand winger Lelia Masaga on a two-year contract, subject to medical and visa.
The 30-year-old, who will arrive along with his coach following the conclusion of the Super Rugby Season, played 91 times for the Chiefs between 2006 and 2013 and won two Super Rugby titles under Rennie in 2012 and 2013.
Capped for the All Blacks once against Italy in 2009, Masaga scored 38 tries in Super Rugby before moving to Japan to play for the Honda Heat club.
He has returned to the Chiefs “wider training squad” this season which included a development tour to Hong Kong in April. He has been providing injury cover to the main team but made no appearances yet.
Nicknamed ‘Flash’, Lelia Tony Corona Masaga also played 65 times in the Mitre 10 Cup during his time in New Zealand, scoring 28 tries for Counties Manukau and Bay of Plenty.
It is on paper a high calibre signing similar to those of Corey Flynn and Darryl Gibson, in terms of the name and the brand association down under, but possibly less glossy when you consider the player’s age and recent playing experience. He’s far from ancient, but will be hoping to rekindle the heights of 2013.
And here’s a wee clip of him in 2015:
The winger becomes Glasgow’s fifth new signing ahead of the 2017/18 season, following the previous announcements of Huw Jones, Callum Gibbins, Oli Kebble and Adam Hastings. Will more former Chiefs follow?
Will more former Chiefs follow?
12 Responses
Do Glasgow actually need any more wingers? Rennie will be choosing from Seymour, Sarto, Jones, Hughes and now Masaga, and that’s before other periphery squad members come into the equation. Once again, makes the resources at this end of the M8 look very paltry indeed.
Definitely losing Seymour, Sarto during the Six Nations and potentially Jones and Hughes depending on the wider Scotland squad, so yes another winger is definitely required in my opinion. The signing has almost certainly been made to help mitigate the poor showing by Glasgow during international windows, also to lessen the load on the 1st choice players.
I think Glasgow need another prop or two, another second row (let’s hope the rumours are true….wishful thinking), a monster back row ball carrier and probably a centre with Bennett away. Hoping Horne the younger builds on his promising displays this season. Serious gas and sharp pass on him.
Glad to see Grant moving into a coaching role with Edinburgh. I always thought he was criminally underrated as a player and was definitely deserving of a full cap at some point.
Glasgow have Gray, Swinson, Cummings, Brian and Peterson at lock so if say we are well off enough there. A ball carrying 8 is the main priority for me. AShe just hasn’t done it unfortunately.
Very happy to see Roddy Grant coaching at Edinburgh under Cockerill next season. I think they will work well together, and add to Grant’s coaching CV. I’m not sure Duncan Hodge should be part of that team though. The team has suffered this year, partly due to Solomons, but also partly due to Hodge (and partly due to the players themselves).
I think that Hodge has a lot to offer as coach, but would perhaps benefit from stepping away from Edinburgh at the moment and allowing the new broom to do it’s job of clearing out the dusty corners and changing the mindset at the club.
The lad Flash looks the part in the youtube clips – but so did Big T….. Let’s hope he is more Flash Gordon than Flash-in-the-pan.
Grant did well at Scottish last season ( actually the season before last ) -obviously highly respected by a group who looked up to him as a recent player at a higher level.
Just a little concerned that he’ll now be coaching players who he has played with, some of whom have achieved more. Potentially tricky. However best wishes to him – I’d love to see him succeed.
Congratulations to Roddy, the best Scotland player never to get a cap. I hope that the coaching team at Edinburgh gel and get the players playing as a team and playing to the level we know (or should that be think/hope) they can.
Any news of any player signings for Edinburgh? I think their need is greater than Glasgow’s!
My opinion is that Glasgow will regress a lot next season, they are headed the same way that Edinburgh have went the past 3-4 seasons. Plain and simple signing foreigners works when done right but I believe Glasgow are just bringing in journeymen who are more than happy to follow Dave Rennie much like Edinburgh with Solomons. If we’re all being honest Shade Munro or Kenny Murray should have got the Glasgow job.
Good one Rosco, what are you smoking? Regress the same way as Edinburgh, from nowhere to the bottom of nowhere, I don’t think so. Glasgow are in need of new blood no doubt, this season was a disappointment in terms of the League (top 6) but Europe was a step forward with some great results. A regional side like Glasgow losing 20+players during the international breaks needs addressing which looks it like they’re doing. Rennie and Solomons in the same category, I think not. Losing Gregor to Scotland didn’t help this season either, but Rennie is a class act, Shade Munro?? You joking?
Mike, spot on. Glasgow need to address the complete and utter pillage that goes on during the 6N and AI’s. It’s probably about 6-7 games that Glasgow are without the core of their squad and this manifested itself this season with some wretched results. Kebble, Gibbins and Masaga will add some real quality in there. Could also be doing with a NSQ (or project player) wrecking ball number 8 who can provide some much needed robustness up front when the first choice pack are away.
Interesting thought process Roscoe, recruiting one of the most successful S15 coach(s) in last decade whilst signing Jones, Keeble, Gibbons, Masaga (in that order of quality) from overseas & Hastings & you reckon …..”will regress a lot next season…..”
Interesting…………..
Off topic I know, but good luck to Big Jim in retirement from playing. A good soldier for clubs and country. Have twice had the pleasure of bumping into him after Test matches and starting a short conversation. He didn’t know me from Adam but was courteous and engaging, a real gent. The other thing that struck me was how huge he is. I’m 6′ 4″ yet he absolutely towered over me!
Great signing for Edinburgh in Van Der Merve. He looks like a Tim Visser with excellent off loading ability. Another stand off and two centres and this Edinburgh side will be top 6.