Glasgow players on the move

Scottish Rugby today announced that two prominent Glasgow players are expected to accept offers from Guinness Premiership clubs in England and will not be with the Warriors next season.
Scotland and Warriors prop Euan Murray, who has seven Scotland caps and is coach Frank Hadden's current first choice Scotland tight head, is expected to join Northampton Saints next season.

Warriors utility back Rory Lamont, who won his sixth cap for Scotland when he came off the bench against England in the Calcutta Cup last month, is also talking to Guinness Premiership clubs, one of which is Sale Sharks. These moves follow last month's decision by Warriors hooker Scott Lawson to join Sale Sharks next season.

The news comes after several other professional players, mostly but not exclusively from Edinburgh Rugby, have accepted offers outside of Scotland for next season.

Whilst recognising it is inevitable there will always be player movement at this stage in any season, particularly in a World Cup year, Scottish Rugby also accepts that it finds it hard and sometimes impossible to compete against larger, more financially secure clubs in other northern hemisphere countries, who are better placed to meet players' overall expectations.

Scottish Rugby has endeavoured to make the most of its limited finances and facilities in today's professional game. However, despite many efforts to keep its talented players in Scotland, market forces dictate this is not a situation the governing body has sufficient powers to control.

This article was originally posted on 1-Mar-2007, 15:11 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 1-Mar-2007, 15:12.