No talks yet but White would interest Glasgow

GLASGOW coach Sean Lineen has not ruled out the possibility of bringing former Scotland captain Jason White back to the city, but admitted that he has not yet spoken to the player.

White, who turns 34 in April, will leave Clermont Auvergne this summer after three years with the leading French club. White started his pro career with Glasgow Caledonians in 1998 after helping Watsonians to their first Scottish club title and made his Scotland debut in the triumphant Calcutta Cup match of 2000. He moved to Sale in 2003, where he went on to win the Premiership Players’ Player of the Year’ award and then moved to France in 2009.

Lineen confirmed that he was looking for one or two experienced forwards to help develop his crop of young talent, and the second and back rows will need bolstering with Richie Gray leaving for Sale and Johnnie Beattie and John Barclay out of contract this summer and yet to agree new deals.

Lineen said: “There are a number of areas that we’re looking at, and we’ve got a few chats going on about various players – it is full-on at the moment.

“Jason is a fantastic player and has been brilliant for Scotland. He will be 34, but you look at the quality and experience he has from being in France. He’s tough, he’s a leader, he’s Scottish, he’s a good lad and he’s been at Glasgow before.

“You’ve got to get the balance right and one thing I think we’ve done well at Glasgow is promote youngsters, with Rob Harley, Ryan Wilson and Stuart Hogg the latest one coming through, and that’s a massively important part of my job.

“But you also look at the wider picture and recognise that it’s not just the coaches that help young players develop, but the players around them too. You need experienced players on the training paddock, in the analysis, and helping players get into good habits off the field, and not just playing the X-Box 24/7.

“We haven’t spoken to Jason yet, but never say never.”