Dan Lancaster has signed a two=year contract with Glasgow Warriors. Image: © Craig Watson –
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GLASGOW WARRIORS have confirmed the extensively trailed recruitment of Dan Lancaster, who was released by Racing 92 at the end of last season and will provide head coach Franco Smith with options at stand-off and inside-centre. He has been signed on a two-year deal.
The son of former England head coach and Scotland age-grade internationalist Stuart Lancaster, the 24-year-old midfielder previously represented Scotland at under-18s level, playing alongside new Warriors team-mates Jamie Dobie, Ollie Smith and Rory Darge in the squad which secured an excellent clean-sweep against Wales, England and Ireland at the 2018 Six Nations Festival in Cardiff.
He went on to represent England at under-20s level during the 2021 Six Nations, and played club rugby for Leeds Tykes, Leicester Tigers, Nottingham, Bond University in Queensland Premier Rugby and Ealing Trailfinders, before joining his father at Racing 92 at the start of last season. Despite a disappointing campaign for the Parisian outfit, which cost the elder Lancaster his job as head coach, Dan managed 27 matches across the course of the season.
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Comfortable at both No 10 or No 12, Lancaster is a like for like replacement for Tom Jordan, who is moving to Bristol Bears ahead of next season. The other stand-offs on the Warriors books at the moment are Adam Hastings, Duncan Weir recent signing Charlie Savala (who is set to miss the start of next season with a knee injury) and academy/Scotland U20 prospect Matthew Urwin. Meanwhile, Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall along with rising stars such as Duncan Munn and Kerr Yule provide stiff competition at inside-centre.
“It all happened pretty quickly, to be honest,” said Lancaster. “I found out I wasn’t being kept on by Racing, and one evening shortly after that I got a call from Franco about potentially coming to Glasgow. After that call, I phoned my agent and told them that Scotstoun was where I wanted to go.
“I played against Glasgow for Racing last year, so I saw first-hand the intensity that the club brings with and without the ball – they’re a proper team. I’ve heard so may great things about the club and about Franco and the coaching team, and Lucio [Sordoni] told me how special a place it is, so it feels like the best possible place for me to develop as a rugby player.
“I know a few of the lads from playing together at Scotland U18 – I played with Jamie [Dobie] and Ollie [Smith], and Rory [Darge] was our captain as well. It’s been brilliant to see those lads go on and do incredible things for Glasgow and for Scotland, and hopefully I can follow their lead, push on and develop towards that level.
“I just want to take it as it comes – every player obviously wants to push for international honours in the long-term, but first and foremost I want to settle in well at Scotstoun and get to know everyone. I want to get my head down, work hard, buy in to what this club is all about and challenge for game time in a Glasgow shirt, I’m not looking any further ahead than that.
“I’m naturally very competitive and want to do my bit to help my team achieve everything they can achieve, so hopefully the Warrior Nation can see that passion when I get the chance to run out! I’m excited to get going in a Glasgow shirt.”
Head coach Smith added: “Dan is someone that we believe has a great deal of potential, and from speaking to him we know already that he is incredibly passionate about the opportunity to represent this club.
“His ability to cover a range of positions in our midfield is a real asset as we build our strength in depth ahead of the new season, whilst his performances in a highly-competitive Top14 for Racing 92 last season showcased the full range of skills that he possesses.
“He is fully bought in to what we are looking to build at Scotstoun and what it means to be a Warrior, and we look forward to welcoming him into our environment ahead of the new season.”
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