2016–17 Glasgow Warriors season

The season began somewhat like an eruption for Glasgow Warriors when it was announced that this 2016–17 season was to be the last in Head Coach's Gregor Townsend tenure. Townsend was announced to be taking over the Scotland Head Coach role from Vern Cotter in the summer of 2017.[1]

Barely had the ink dried on the newspaper reports of Townsend's departure, only two days later the SRU quickly named Townsend's successor. The man charged with taking over the Warriors for the 2017–18 season was to be a top New Zealand coach, Dave Rennie, the Head Coach of the Super Rugby side the Chiefs. The Chiefs had won the Super Rugby title twice under Rennie's guidance.[2]

Jason O'Halloran and Jonathan Humphreys were later also announced to be joining the Warriors for the 2017–18 season.[3]

In a move which hoped to forestall the problems of the 2015–16 season when Scotstoun became unplayable due to flooding, a new 4G pitch was unveiled at Scotstoun Stadium.[4]

Since this was to be Head Coach Gregor Townsend's last season with the Warriors, a decent European run was a key target. The Warriors had never before qualified for the quarter finals of the European Champions Cup and this was the coach's last attempt to break that hoodoo.[5]

The Pro12 began in season 2011–12. And - in every single year since - Glasgow Warriors had made the play-offs to contest the championship in its last weeks. This was another target in this season. A high placing in the Pro12 would also ensure European Champions Cup placing for the 2017–18 season.

The 1872 Cup was held by Edinburgh Rugby for the last two seasons, despite Glasgow finishing above Edinburgh in the Pro12 league in every year of Townsend's reign.[6] Glasgow wanted the cup back west.

A mixed season saw the team qualify for European Champions Cup Quarter Final for the first time but lose out to eventual champions Saracens.

The Warriors qualified for the 2017-18 European Champions Cup but missed out for the first time for a Pro12 play-off place. Both the Autumn International and Six Nations windows proved particularly challenging this season.

With success came a problem. Glasgow were always a key supplier of players to the international team, but now they became a factory. It's hard to think of a side in world rugby that is as decimated by the international window as Glasgow. You pay a price for that eventually.

— Tom English, BBC journalist.[7]

The 1872 Cup was won by the Warriors but they lost their home match to Edinburgh for the first time on Glasgow soil.

The Gregor Townsend era for Glasgow Warriors ran for 5 years. In that time he guided the team to the 2014-15 Pro12 title and a European Champions Cup Quarter Final for the first time in 2016–17.[8] Aside from this season, the team made the Pro12 play-offs in every year of his reign.

It's hard to put into words how much he's done for the club. He's taken us to another level. We went from having 1,000 people at Firhill if we're lucky to selling out Scotstoun every single week regardless of how we're playing. The brand of rugby we're playing means Gregor's getting tipped for all sorts of jobs and, for the last two or three years, every club's probably been after him at some point.

I think we’ve moved from being a bit-part club to every time we take the field people expecting a bloody hard game. I think we expect to go out and win every game we play now, so we’ve certainly moved on.

— Peter Horne, Glasgow Warriors Centre[8][9]

• Head Coach: Gregor Townsend
• Assistant Coach: Matt Taylor
• Assistant Coach: Kenny Murray
• Assistant Coach: Dan McFarland
• Assistant Coach: Mike Blair
• Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach: Stuart Yule
• Asst. Strength and Conditioning Coach: Thibault Giroud
• Asst. Strength and Conditioning Coach: George Petrakos
• Lead Performance Analyst: Gavin Vaughan
• Asst. Performance Analyst: Greg Woolard

• Managing Director: Nathan Bombrys
• Chairman: Charles Shaw
• Advisory Group: Walter Malcolm, Douglas McCrea, Alan Lees, Jim Preston, Paul Taylor
• Rugby Operations Manager: John Manson
• Kit Manager & Masseur: Dougie Mills
• Clinical Manager: Lisa Casey
• Team Physiotherapist: Nicola McGuire
• Rehabilitation Physiotherapist: Gabrielle McCullough
• Team Doctor: Dr. David Pugh
• Commercial Operations Manager: Alastair Kellock
• Communications Manager: Jeremy Bone
• Communications Asst: Jack Reid
• Operations Manager: Stephanie Karvelis
• Marketing and Partnerships Manager: Darroch Ramsay
• Partnership Sales Manager: Laura Hynd
• Partnership Account Manager: Oliver Norman
• Partnership Account Manager: Jim Taylor
• Game On Project Development Officer: Lindsey Smith
• Community Rugby Coach: Stuart Lewis[10]

Scottish Rugby Academy players who have been assigned to a Professional club are Stage 3 players.[11] These players are assigned to Glasgow Warriors for the season 2016-17.

Academy players promoted in the course of the season are listed with the main squad.

Other players used by Glasgow Warriors over the course of the season.

• Josh Henderson (Glasgow Hawks) - Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 2 player - Fly-half
• Shaun MacDonald (Stirling County) - Flanker
• Alex Taylor (Stirling County) - Number Eight
• Peter McCallum (Ayr) - Number Eight
• Rob McAlpine (Ayr) - Lock
• Adam Nicol (Stirling County) - Prop
• Kiran McDonald - (Glasgow Hawks) - Lock[16]

• Mike Blair

• Matt Smith from Scottish Rugby Academy[17]
• Lewis Wynne from Scottish Rugby Academy[17]

20 August 2016 4pm

Harlequins	22 - 17	Glasgow Warriors
Try: Ross Chisholm James Chisholm Mat Luamanu Jonas Mikalcius Con: Nick Evans[43]	Preview Report Report Report	Try: Simone Favaro Leonardo Sarto Pat MacArthur Con: Rory Clegg

Twickenham Stoop Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Harlequins: 15. Aaron Morris 14. Ross Chisholm 13. Joe Marchant 12. Jamie Roberts 11. Tim Visser 10. Nick Evans 9. Danny Care (C)
1. Joe Marler 2. Rob Buchanan 3. Kyle Sinckler 4. Sam Twomey 5. James Horwill 6. Chris Robshaw 7. Luke Wallace 8. Jack Clifford
Replacements from Dave Ward, Cameron Holenstein, Will Collier, George Merrick, Charlie Matthews, Mat Luamanu, Charlie Mulchrone,
Ruaridh Jackson, Jonas Mikalcius, Winston Stanley, James Chisholm[44]
Glasgow Warriors: 15. Fraser Lyle 14. Leonardo Sarto 13. Nick Grigg 12. Sam Johnson 11. Rory Hughes 10. Rory Clegg 9. Grayson Hart
1. Ryan Grant 2. James Malcolm 3. D'Arcy Rae 4. Tim Swinson 5. Scott Cummings 6. Rob Harley (C) 7. Simone Favarro 8. Lewis Wynne
Replacements (all used): Alex Dunbar, Ali Price, Callum Hunter-Hill, Djustice Sears-Duru, Hagen Schulte, Junior Bulumakau, Pat MacArthur, Richie Vernon, Tjiuee Uanivi and Zander Fagerson.[45]

26 August 2016 7.45pm

Gloucester Rugby[46]	33 - 19	Glasgow Warriors
Try: Matt Scott Greig Laidlaw Tom Marshall Callum Braley Elliott Creed Con: Greig Laidlaw x 2 James Hook x 2	Preview Report Report Report	Try: Alex Dunbar Peter Horne Sean Lamont Con: Henry Pyrgos Rory Clegg

Kingsholm Stadium Attendance: 8231 Referee: T. Foley

Gloucester: 15. Tom Marshall, 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Matt Scott, 12. Billy Twelvetrees, 11. Henry Purdy, 10. Billy Burns, 9. Greig Laidlaw (C)
1.Yann Thomas, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. John Afoa, 4. Joe Latta, 5. Mariano Galarza, 6. Ross Moriarty, 7. Matt Kvesic, 8. Ben Morgan
Replacements from Darren Dawidiuk, Paddy McAllister, Paul Doran-Jones; Tom Denton; Lewis Ludlow, Callum Braley, James Hook; Mark Atkinson, Alex Craig, Dan Thomas, Andy Symons, Gareth Evans, Elliott Creed, Lloyd Evans, David Halaifonua, Charlie Beckett
Glasgow Warriors: 15. Rory Hughes. 14. Leonardo Sarto, 13. Alex Dunbar, 12. Sam Johnson, 11. Sean Lamont, 10. Peter Horne
9. Henry Pyrgos (C), 1. Gordon Reid, 2. Corey Flynn, 3. Zander Fagerson, 4. Greg Peterson, 5. Scott Cummings, 6. Rob Harley,
7. Fraser Brown, 8. Ryan Wilson
Replacements: (used:) Ryan Grant, Pat MacArthur, Sila Puafisi, Tim Swinson, Tjiuee Uanivi, Simone Favaro, Lewis Wynne, Ali Price, Rory Clegg, Richie Vernon, Fraser Lyle, (unused:) D'Arcy Rae, Grayson Hart

30 August 2016 7.35pm

Glasgow Warriors	63 - 0	Canada A
Try: Nemia Kenatale Nick Grigg James Malcolm George Horne x 2 Matt Fagerson Cameron Fenton Josh Henderson Patrick Kelly Con: Hagen Schulte x 5 George Horne x 4	Preview Preview Report Report

Bridgehaugh Park, Stirling[47] Attendance: 1719 Referee: B Whitehouse (Wales)

Glasgow Warriors: Peter Murchie (C), Junior Bulumakau (Robert Beattie, 41), Nick Grigg (Patrick Kelly*, 44), Fraser Lyle (Patrick Kelly*, 41-43), Lee Jones (rep:Rory Hughes, 41); Hagen Schulte (Josh Henderson*, 61), Nemia Kenatale (George Horne*, 7); Alex Allan (Rep: Jamie Bhatti, 49), James Malcolm (Cameron Fenton*, 41), D'Arcy Rae (Jarrod Firth, 49), Sam Thomson, Greg Peterson (Kiran McDonald, 49), Callum Hunter-Hill* (Shaun MacDonald, 41), Matt Fagerson*, Peter McCallum (Alex Taylor, 41). [* Member of the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy]
Canada A: J Wilson-Ross (James Bay D Joyce, Dublin University, 68); K Lloyd (Mississauga Blues), M Samson (Calgary Saints, D Fraser, Ladysmith, 55), P Parfrey (Swilers), D Moor (Balmy Beach, S Hayward, Sydney, 68); R Povey (Bedford, G du Toit, UVIC Vikes, 30), G McRorie (Calgary Hornets, A McMullan, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, 70); D Sears-Duru (Glasgow Warriors, A Luca, Burnaby Lake, 61), E Howard (Brantford Harlequins, A Mascott, UBC Thunderbirds, 38-41), R Kotlewski (Calgary Saints, C McClary, Port Alberni, 57), C Keys (UVic Vikes), K Baillie (Ohio, A Wadden, Oakville Crusaders, 63), A Cejvanovic (Burnaby Lake), N Dala (Castaway Wanderers, M Heaton, Darlington Mowden Park, 49), T Larsen. [48]

The Pro12 began this year with an away match for Glasgow Warriors at the defending champions Connacht, the club that had wrested the title from them the previous season. The Warriors players were eager for the match and secured a try bonus victory at Galway Sportgrounds; Peter Horne later said: "I think that really told when we finally played them in the first game of the season and hammered them. It was frustration about why we hadn't been able to do it at the end of last year."[49]

The next match against Leinster saw Tommy Seymour run in four tries in another 5 pt victory for the Warriors.[50] This set up an intriguing match away with another team that made a great start to the season, Cardiff Blues. The Blues saw out a tight match and the Warriors only managed a losing bonus point.[51]

A returning Finn Russell, back from the freak injury he sustained at the end of season match against Connacht, started against Ulster.[52] Again, the Warriors had to content themselves with a losing bonus point.[53]

An away win against Newport Gwent Dragons and two bonus point wins against Italian sides Treviso and Zebre put the Warriors in a good place before the Autumn Internationals. The Warriors then lost fifteen of their players to Scotland duty. In addition to losing an entire XV worth of players to the Scotland team, another three Warriors were also asked to train with the squad; Ali Price, Nick Grigg and Rory Hughes.[54] Another four international players Simone Favaro, Nemia Kenatale, Djustice Sears-Duru and Langilangi Haupeakui were quickly called up for their respective nations[55] before Sila Puafisi was then called up to play for Tonga.[56]

This, in addition to a rapidly growing injury list that meant Leonardo Sarto, Richie Vernon, Ryan Grant, Adam Ashe, Greg Peterson, Scott Cummings, Tjiuee Uanivi and Chris Fusaro were all sidelined, really tested the Warriors strength in depth.[57]

It was not then perhaps too surprising that in the Autumn International window the Warriors lost both matches against the Scarlets[58] and the Ospreys.[59] The run of defeats continued with a one-point loss to Munster at the start of December.[60]

Over the winter period, with the international players all returning, the Warriors once again began winning matches. A healthy lead in the first leg of the 1872 Cup against Edinburgh[61] then led to wins against Treviso[62] and Cardiff Blues.[63]

Then came the Six Nations window. Again the Warriors players provided the vast majority of the Scotland national team. Once again the Warriors strength and depth became an issue: three losses to Scarlets, Ulster and Ospreys in succession left Glasgow Warriors now trailing in the league behind those same teams battling for a play-off place.

Again the international players returned and results improved. Wins against Newport Gwent Dragons, Connacht and Zebre[64] provided a belated challenge for a top 4 place, but losses to Munster[65] and ultimately Leinster put paid to Glasgow's hopes of once again being involved in challenging for the title.

The Leinster defeat on 28 April 2017 meant that Glasgow Warriors finally lost its proud record of being the only team that had qualified for a top 4 place in every year of the Pro12's existence since it started in season 2011–12. The match at the RDS in Dublin proved bizarre; the match was topsy-turvy with Leinster initially leading before the Warriors took control. Leinster edged ahead with a penalty and then almost immediately the stadium lights went out. It looked like the Dublin side would win the match by the abandonment rule but the referee waited around 20 minutes before the lights came back on and Leinster managed to see out the remainder of the match.[66]

One more Pro12 match remained to play. The 2nd leg of the 1872 Cup against Edinburgh Rugby at Scotstoun Stadium. Glasgow was eager to return the cup back to the west after Edinburgh had wrested the cup from Glasgow two seasons before. Edinburgh Rugby won the match - the first time that they had tasted victory on Glasgow soil in the 1872 Cup fixture - but they couldn't overturn the margin that the Warriors had built up in the away match at Murrayfield Stadium.[67]

Glasgow Warriors won the 1872 Cup for a seventh time; a bittersweet win that ended Gregor Townsend's last match in charge of the Glasgow side.[68]

6 May 2017 17:15

Glasgow Warriors	18–29	Edinburgh
Try: Gray 40' m Hogg 65' c Con: Russell (1/2) 65' Pen: Russell (2/2) 2', 18'	Preview Report report Report	Try: Hoyland 56' c Bryce 80' c Con: Weir (2/2) 58', 80'+1 Pen: Weir (5/5) 7', 14', 33', 43', 53'

Scotstoun Stadium Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Glasgow Warriors won the 1872 Cup with an aggregate score of 43 - 41.

Glasgow Warriors were placed in Pool 1 of the European Champions Cup. They were drawn against last year's finalists Racing 92 and past winners Munster and Leicester Tigers.[74]

As it was announced that this would be Gregor Townsend's last season with the Warriors, one huge focus for the season would be for Glasgow to get out of the pool stages and qualify for a Quarter Final.[75]

Glasgow's previous best in the Heineken Cup was a Quarter Final play-off in 1997 where they lost to Leicester Tigers. This season's Tigers were first up in the Pool stage.[76]

The match at Scotstoun resulted in a 42 - 13 win for the Warriors with the Glasgow side running in five tries.[77][78]

The untimely death of Munster coach Anthony Foley meant that Munster's match with Racing 92 was postponed. This meant that Munster's next match would be against Glasgow Warriors at an emotionally charged Thomond Park.[79] Foley's sad passing away seemed to galvanise the Munster side together and they ran out 38 - 17 victors in a difficult match for all involved.[80]

A tough double header against last year's finalists was next up for the Warriors. Racing 92 boasted New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter and former Glasgow Warrior favourite Leone Nakarawa in their ranks. Yet the Glasgow side crushed the French side in Paris with Townsend describing the victory as the second best of his Warriors coaching career after the 2014-15 Pro12 final against Munster.[81]

The home tie proved the Paris result no fluke as another 'special night' at Scotstoun showed the Warriors dominate the Racing side. In particular Finn Russell's outplaying of Dan Carter in back to back matches thrust the Scotland fly-half into Lions contention.[82]

Townsend was quoted: "Finn deserved to be in the Lions conversation before the games against Racing but he’s playing with lots of confidence and parts of his game have got really strong over the last couple of years. Finn’s been up against Dan Carter and a lot of other big players in big environments, too. He’s started at Scotland at stand-off for the last two-and-a-half years so even though British & Irish rugby is full of quality players, I expect him to be in the mix."[82]

A still emboldened Munster came to Scotstoun and ground out a very tight win. Only 3 points separated the sides on the night.

The last Pool 1 game for Glasgow was at Welford Rd in Leicester. The Warriors went down to Leicester with purpose and simply mauled the Tigers, handing out the Tigers worst result in European history.[83]

The Tigers failed to score and Glasgow ran in 6 tries in a famous 43 - 0 victory. By the end of the match Glasgow Warriors pushed for the 50 pts in the Tiger's 22. Leicester's Freddie Burns was tackled and the ball about to be turned over, Burns had to embarrassingly reach out for the touchline to end the match to avoid further Warriors score. Glasgow Warriors became the first Scottish team to beat Leicester at home since the Fettesian-Lorettonian Club managed it 112 years before[84] when they won by a try to nil in 28 December 1905[85] with Jobson scoring the 3 points.[86]

Glasgow Warriors thus qualified for a European Champions Cup Quarter Final for the first time in their history. The question now was... could they go even further?

The Warriors drew Saracens away from home. As the reigning European champions, Sarries were heavy favourites. Still 6000 of the Warrior Nation went to London and provided the Aviva Premiership team with their highest ever home attendance at Allianz Park.[87]

The first half proved tighter than expected as a few attempted tries by Saracens were ruled out for infringements - but the London club still led. A blow for the Warriors came when captain Jonny Gray was taken off injured early on. Returning from injury in his first game back Greg Peterson tried to manfully cover his absence.

The second half started brightly for the Warriors and a try by Lee Jones brought a period of Warriors dominance. However a missed kick to touch by Finn Russell to consolidate the Warriors pressure into a lead proved the turning point in the match and the Saracens then turned the screw and started running in tries. A consolation try at the end by Ryan Wilson was the Warriors only reply.

Townsend later was to blame himself for the defeat stating that he had over-analysed the Saracens side and thus prevented Glagow from playing their own game: "Nothing might have worked, because Saracens are so good, but I got it wrong"[7]

Despite the loss the huge Warrior Nation support made many friends and Glasgow Warriors were now firmly on the European rugby map. Saracens would go on to lift the European Champions title again beating Clermont in the final at Murrayfield Stadium.[88]

• Macron

• Malcolm Group
• McCrea Financial Services
• Denholm Oilfield
• Ross Hall Hospital
• Story Contracting[91]

• The Famous Grouse
• Clyde Travel Management
• Harper Macleod
• Caledonia Best
• Eden Mill Brewery and Distillery
• David Lloyd Leisure
• Crabbie's
• CALA Homes
• Capital Solutions
• Martha's Restaurant[92]

• Barrs
• Glasgow Airport
• Cameron House
• People Make Glasgow
• Smile Plus
• Lucozade Sport
• Lenco Utilities
• HF Group[93]
• Scot JCB News Scotland
• G4S
• MSC Nutrition
• Healthspan Elite
• Primestaff
• The Crafty Pig
• Village Hotel Club
• Land Rover[94]