Hooker George Turner has joined Glasgow Warriors on a season-long loan from Edinburgh Rugby.
There are four hookers currently under contract at the capital club – Ross Ford, Stuart McInally, Neil Cochrane and Turner who will move west aiming for more game time. Late last season he was given a brief run of games as Richard Cockerill asked to see players ahead of taking the reins. He impressed most on that outing but who knows what has occured in pre-season. It could be that Glasgow were the driving force behind the move with the news that Fraser Brown has undergone ankle surgery and will be out for up to four months.
A recipient of the (absent so far this year) Macphail Scholarship in New Zealand, Turner spent three years in the Scottish Rugby Elite Development Programme and three years as a professional with Edinburgh. He started at that breeding ground of rugby podcasters, Stewarts Melville.
The latest of his 14 Edinburgh appearances came in the 29-18 win over Glasgow on the last day of last season, having also spent some time with London Scottish.
Turner was a little surprisingly named in the Scotland squad for the summer tour to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand but saw no game time. He was also involved in the Scotland squad for the 2016 Six Nations.
Turner began pre-season training at Scotstoun this week and will compete with Fraser Brown, Pat MacArthur and James Malcolm for the Number 2 jersey this season. With Brown out and no particularly clear understudy, it’s a distinct possibility he could be the starting hooker for the aWarriors before too long.
Rory Scholes and Viliami Fihaki have also left Edinburgh Rugby this week, which is unusual a couple of blocks into preseason but less so with a new coaching group in place. Whether this is again players jumping or being pushed by the new regime remains to be seen. Edinburgh could still use a signing or two for the squad – maybe they are clearing some space in the budget?
6 responses
Under the previous coaching regimes I would have said that this would be a great opportunity for Turner to develop and mature at a faster pace at Scotstoun. With Cockerill in place I’m not so sure that will be the case.
However, the SRU are obviously behind this – it is balancing the books with Brown crocked. I really have admire Turner though. I think he will be pushing Malcolm and MacArthur over the next few months.
As for Scholars and Fahiki – never saw them do enough to suggest that this would be a loss. If the money saved can be used to invest in the squad then good.
I really don’t understand why Kevin Bryce made the move to tight head? Beyond Brown and an aging Ford the only contenders at Hooker are McArthur who seems to have been deemed not quite good/big enough for international level and McInally who hasn’t ever looked like making a real case at challenging Ford or Brown. Given Bryce is also the only hooker coming in at a similar weight to Ford would he not have been a good option as the ballast hooker with Brown the mobile one?
It’s a good point, I’d have to say with Brown injured our depth at hooker is thin and probably after 10 and 15 the next weakest position?
I’d agree. It’s worrying that it’s the spine of the Scotland team which shows the least depth.
It’s good to see the SRU moving players for the benefit of the pro teams. Wishing Turner every success at Glasgow.
Pleased to see that Glasgow continue to sign new players whose names require serious concentration to say them without completely fuc**ng it up.
Welcome Siua Halanukonuka.
Good luck to Scott Hastings with that one.
Watching Malcom Marx play for the Lions and South Africa, I wonder how long it will be before it is suggested that Matt Fagerson makes the switch to hooker. Only his lack of height for the back row would prevent him from being a top class international……