Fraser Thomson earns Warriors deal

Thomson, who turned 23 yesterday, was recognised as a leading talent in the game as a teenager and signed up for the SRU’s national academy. However, he struggled with the combination of higher education studies and training, at a time when the SRU were hot- housing their academy talent with little game-time.

So he opted to drop out of the academy and complete his studies while playing for his hometown club Gala, and then joining Melrose. He has been one of the stand-out performers in the RBS Premier One, a regular top try- scorer and Scotland club internationalist, and last season helped the Sale Sharks’ reserve side to success with tries while on loan.

With no offer of a full-time contract in Manchester, he returned to Melrose and his patience has paid off with new Glasgow coach Gregor Townsend responding to another fine season for the Melrose full-back by signing him up on an elite development player contract.

He follows another Borderer in Stuart Hogg, who signed a similar deal with Glasgow from Hawick last year, only for his fine early-season form to land a senior contract which he will begin this summer when he returns from the Scotland tour.