Glasgow Warriors sign ex-All Blacks under-20 international Sean Maitland

Published on 23/10/2012 12:03

GLASGOW Warriors have signed former New Zealand under-20 back Sean Maitland in a move that could also pay off for the Scotland national team.

• Sean Maitland qualifies for Scotland

• Former New Zealand youth international to join Glasgow in coming weeks

The 24-year-old Crusaders player qualifies to play for Scotland through his paternal grandparents, who were both born in Glasgow.

Maitland, who can play at full-back or on either wing, will join Warriors in the coming weeks subject to a medical and visa, having signed a contract that ties him to Scotstoun until May 2015.

Maitland has scored 24 tries in Super Rugby and crossed four times in a game against the Brumbies last year.

Maitland won world titles with the All Blacks at under-19 and under-20 level and represented the New Zealand Maori in 2010.

Head coach Gregor Townsend told www.glasgowwarriors.org: “We’re delighted to be welcoming a player of Sean Maitland’s calibre to Glasgow Warriors.

“The back three is an area of the team where we already have a number of excellent options, and Sean will provide a further layer of quality as we enter another busy phase of the season.

“His try-scoring record in Super Rugby speaks for itself, and he’s also a player who has a big appetite for self-improvement. “He will be a fantastic addition to our squad and will, I’m sure, be very popular with our supporters.

“It’s another indication of our increasing profile of Glasgow Warriors that a player of Sean’s ability and ambition sees us as a club where he can continue to progress.”