Paris gives Warriors fresh capital in the backs

GREGOR Townsend has always had a love for French rugby, but there is nothing Français about Taylor Paris, his surprise signing this week from Canada. The new Glasgow coach had been alerted to the 19-year-old’s qualities and moved to bring him to Scotland on a one-year deal to boost the strength in depth on the wings.

Paris was the youngest player to win a full cap for Canada when he made his debut last year aged just 18, scoring two tries against Spain in his second Test and earning selection for Canada’s World Cup squad in New Zealand.

For the past two years, Paris has been a mainstay of Canada’s sevens team and was also the youngest player ever to represent the country in the abbreviated form of the game, aged 17. He was ruled out of selection for the Canucks’ June Tests against USA, Georgia and Italy by a foot injury, but recovered to be named captain of Canada U20s for the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy which starts in Salt Lake City this weekend.

Townsend said: “Taylor Paris has all the raw materials to become an influential player for Glasgow Warriors, and I’m really pleased we’ve been able to secure his signature. All the coaches are really excited about his potential – the fact he’s the youngest player ever to play international rugby for Canada at both fifteens and sevens speaks volumes for his natural talent.”

He is already tied to Canada so is not one of the “project players” the SRU are looking to bring here and develop over three years to then qualify for Scotland, as with Tim Visser and new Edinburgh prop WP Nel, but Townsend is confident that he will provide stronger depth in the back three and push the others vying for the slots.

Paris is Glasgow’s sixth senior signing for the new season, after All Black flanker Angus Macdonald, Tonga’s World Cup No 8 Viliami Ma’afu, Newcastle lock Tim Swinson, Sean Lamont, and Scots-qualified centre Byron McGuigan from South Africa.

He will join Glasgow after the IRB tournament at the end of the month, following fellow Canadian Test caps DTH van der Merwe, Kevin Tkachuk and Chauncey O’Toole to the Warriors.

He said: “I’m delighted and honoured to have the chance to join a major club like Glasgow Warriors and play my part in helping them achieve success. It’s always been an ambition of mine to test myself in European professional rugby, and I can’t wait to join up with the Warriors ahead of the new season.

“The club is well known in Canada, with a number of our top players having been fortunate enough to represent the club, and I feel very privileged to be receiving the same opportunity.”