As things stand, Glasgow Warriors will start the new season with a main squad comprising 44 players, a number that, if maintained, would be the smallest group at their disposal across the last 15 seasons.
Even in the URC era, which has featured fewer competitive fixtures, the club have averaged 47 players used per campaign.
All of which most likely means opportunities for the extended academy, with some of the 26 youngsters picking up game time and providing the additional depth required.
In: Fin Richardson (Exeter), Patrick Schickerling (Exeter), Rory Sutherland (Oyonnax), Sam Talakai (Melbourne Rebels)
Out: Fraser Brown (retired), Oli Kebble (Oyonnax), Enrique Pieretto (Waratahs), Lucio Sordoni, George Turner (Kobe Steelers)
Summary: This is where almost all of the action has taken place over the summer 80% of the Warriors new signings are props - and while the new group is not as strong as last season on paper, there is probably more room for development.
Between them, departed props Oli Kebble and Lucio Sordoni played 35 times for Glasgow during the club’s championship-winning season while they filled the second slot on each side of the scrum.
The addition of Rory Sutherland and continuing development of new Scotland cap Nathan McBeth should mean few worries at loosehead but the ongoing dilemma of how to provide depth behind Zander Fagerson at tighthead remains.
Sordoni – who has won a recall to Argentinian colours for this year’s Rugby Championship off the back of his form for the Warriors – spent two full seasons as the go-to supporting act to Fagerson’s headline turn, including 14 starts in the URC.
Until this week, the fresh lineup in the tighthead depth chart – Murphy Walker, Patrick Schickerling and Fin Richardson – could only collectively muster four starts in the URC or Premiership during the same period.
It was going to take a big step up from this trio to provide cover at the level required and to fill Sordoni’s boots, let alone Fagerson’s, which makes this week’s signing of veteran Sam Talakai – with 21 Super Rugby starts in the last two seasons – a logical move.
At hooker, a long-term injury meant that Glasgow already learned how to live without Fraser Brown during 2023/24.
Following that up with losing George Turner, Brown’s long-time rival for the Glasgow and Scotland number two jerseys, has left a big gap to fill.
There is of course, try-scoring sensation Johnny Matthews, but the late bloomer is himself now 31. He will unquestionably be one of the most significant figures in the Warriors’ squad next season but issues around backups and the line of succession will also be to the fore.
New addition to the academy, Joe Roberts, comes with a big reputation having captained Scotland at under-18 level but, in a position that tends to reward maturity, he probably has a good bit of development to do before he moves into first team contention.
Continuing improvement from both Gregor Hiddleston and Angus Fraser is absolutely vital for the current campaign but this will remain an area where big decisions might need to be made over the next couple of seasons.
Locks
In: none
Out: Sintu Manjezi (Bulls), Greg Peterson (San Diego Legion)
Summary: Well set as the predilection for six/two forwards-to-backs split on the bench over the past couple of seasons has contributed to a healthy number of minutes under the belt of all five senior locks who are in place for 2024/25.
There were injury absences of varying lengths for all of Glasgow’s experienced second rows last season but that turned into a net benefit by allowing Max Williamson to make his breakthrough and Alex Samuel to get more game time.
The youngsters will still likely start the season in the squad slots of the depth chart but there should be plenty of minutes to go around.
There have been no additions to the main group, but JP du Preez will feel almost like a new signing when he returns to action after missing the entirety of last season.
The giant South African made the matchday squad for 26 consecutive games during Franco Smith’s inaugural campaign and Glasgow's head honcho clearly has a lot of faith in the player he first coached at the Cheetahs.
Elsewhere, new academy second row Jare Oguntibeju makes it a quartet of players who are 6’8” and above that the Warriors can call on, meaning they should never lack for a primary lineout target!
Back-row
In: None
Outs: Tom Gordon (Newcastle)
Summary : Just a solitary departure and some interesting prospects in the Academy should mean last season’s very high standards are maintained.
After releasing Tom Gordon, the Warriors will kick off the campaign with a solitary specialist openside in their main squad – Scotland co-captain, Rory Darge.
Darge may well be beast but even he will not be able to fill the number seven shirt for every domestic and international game.
Glasgow can call on some talented players who can play across the back row – in particular, Matt Fagerson and Ally Miller.
Franco Smith also loves to eschew a traditional type in this role and instead include Sione Vailanu at seven to make the breakaway trio as enormous as possible.
Even allowing for those options, it is still the case that Darge is the only first-choice player who does not have a direct understudy who can step in on a reasonably like for like basis.
New academy addition, Macenzzie Duncan, who has already played at Premiership Rugby Cup level for Bristol, might be an option if he develops quickly.
There actually is a very Darge-esque young player ready to burst through into the top echelon of Scottish rugby who would be an ideal backup.
Unfortunately for Warriors’ fans, Freddy Douglas is in his second year with Edinburgh’s senior academy.
If the under 20s star remains down the depth chart at the capital club and minutes are hard to come by, might he traverse the same route that Darge himself did into a squad where he would straightaway be the second-best specialist openside?
Half backs
In: Adam Hastings (Gloucester)
Out: Ali Price and Ross Thompson (both Edinburgh)
Summary: Hornstings is back! The dynamic duo frequently ripped it up during the high-octane Rennie era, but Franco Smith will also want to see plenty of meaningful defensive contributions as well.
Tom Jordan (who will be Scottish-qualified by the time of the next international window) stands alongside Finn Russell as the only Glasgow fly-half to win three play-off matches.
The former Ayrshire Bull has also yet to miss a URC match since making his debut against Benetton in 2022 – that is 40 in a row (32 starts).
While Hastings might be expected to jump straight back into his second spell at the Warriors as their first-choice fly half, Jordan’s stats, and his central role in the first two seasons of the Smith era, mean that there could be a real battle for possession of the number 10 jersey.
At scrum half, the season will start with the depth chart in the same order as last season, after Ben Afshar overtook veteran Sean Kennedy for the number three slot behind Jamie Dobie and Horne.
There is a lot of talent within this group, and they will continue to jockey for position throughout the campaign. That competitiveness should keep standards high in a very influential area of the team.
If new Academy recruit Brent Jackson can break through, then Glasgow should be well set at scrum half even further into the future.
Centres
In: None
Out: None
Summary: Huwipulotu may dominate any conversation about the midfield, but Stafford McDowall is also a huge presence for the Warriors. That all-international trio of players need backup though.
Franco Smith loves a bit of flexibility among his backline options and both Tom Jordan and Kyle Steyn will be in the conversation for selection in the centres.
For each of those men that will be dependent on their availability after first being considered for what have become their primary positions – fly-half and wing, respectively.
Glasgow do have a bit of a cohort of centres coming through the academy system and it may well be that whoever stands out most from this group will find themselves involved in some games in and around the international windows.
Duncan Munn has already made his club debut and his experience of previous matchday squads probably puts him in pole position from the young team.
In terms of all-round skillset, Johnny Ventisei seems to have the broadest range, showing up well in Scotland’s World Rugby U20 Trophy victory having previously captained the dark blues to gold in the 7s at the Youth Commonwealth Games.
Kerr Yule has demonstrated good physicality across two years at under-20 level for Scotland so far, with another to come in 2005 for the teenager. If he can translate that to full-time pro rugby he could be a real wrecking ball of an inside centre.
Back three
In: None
Out: None
Summary: No changes to a group that contributed a third of Glasgow’s tries last season (33 out of 100) and will be expecting a similar glut of scores during 2024/25.
While the demise of London Irish was extremely unfortunate for all involved, it did bring Kyle Rowe to Glasgow at a point where resources in the back three were looking a little thin.
The continued use of Jamie Dobie on the wing and Josh McKay filling the fullback slot for 20 out of the Warriors’ last 22 games (although both at least in part a result of a season-ending injury for Ollie Smith) does suggest numbers for this group need to expand.
Logan Trotter has still to make his full debut and Facundo Cordero had a couple of lively showings in the latter part of 2023/24.
This might still be another area where there could be a handful of outings available for academy prospects.
The six/two bench could count against them but if the coaches do go with an extra back among the replacements then there could be the chance to blood new names.
The under-20s trio have all shown flashes at age grade level, with Fergus Watson the most consistent performer.
He is primarily a fullback but his running style and the way he is so difficult to put down in the tackle is reminiscent of a couple of Glasgow wingers – DTH van der Merwe and Kyle Steyn.
Aidan Cross being brought into the academy suggests that the coaches are keen to find a way to involve a player who had an excellent strike rate for Southern Knights in the Super Series and see if he can translate that to a higher level.
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