United Rugby Championship: Glasgow sign up four academy prospects

Lawrence Nolan

Back-row Gregor Brown, locks Alex Samuel and Max Williamson and hooker Angus Fraser have all graduated to full professional contracts from the Glasgow academy.

The quartet has already been involved in training alongside the Glasgow Warriors senior squad this season, working alongside the club’s established professionals to further their development.

Next steps

“We are passionate about developing Scottish talent and it’s great to see four more promising prospects graduate from our academy,” said head coach Danny Wilson.

“Angus, Alex, Gregor and Max have all applied themselves well recently and take the next step into professional rugby at Glasgow Warriors.

“We’re all looking forward to seeing these young men continue to grow in our environment and compete for their place in our match day 23.”

Brown, 20, made his debut in Glasgow colours when coming off the bench against Leinster at the RDS back in February 2021 but has been held back from further development since by a serious knee injury.

“Glasgow Warriors have been my team ever since I was a kid – dad and I would come down from Aberdeen to come to Scotstoun and watch the games, and to make my debut last season was just an incredible moment,” he said.

“To sign my first contract, it’s hard to put into word just how much this means.”

Samuel captained Scotland U20 for the 2021 U20 Six Nations, leading the side in all five matches at Cardiff Arms Park, while Williamson has been an ever-present in the engine room for Scotland U20 since breaking into the squad in 2021, playing 10 successive matches for Kenny Murray’s side.

Like Samuel, Williamson was invited to train with the senior Scotland squad as an apprentice during the 2021 Guinness Six Nations.

Fraser spent a year at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa to further his development as part of the Scottish Rugby programme and is also a former Scotland U18 and U20 representative.