Allan Dell signs for Glasgow Warriors but still no announcement on new coach

Glasgow Warriors have confirmed the signing of Scotland prop Allan Dell for the new season.

Scotland prop Allan Dell has signed for Glasgow Warriors. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

The former Edinburgh loosehead is returning north after three seasons at London Irish and will join up with his new team-mates for the start of pre-season training next week.

Glasgow are still without a head coach following the departure of Danny Wilson but are continuing to sign new players.

The club said the search for a replacement for Wilson was “ongoing” and that further recruitment would be overseen by the new coach

Dell, who played for the British & Irish Lions on the 2017 tour of New Zealand, will add experience to the front row and challenge Jamie Bhatti and Oli Kebble for the No 1 jersey.

Capped 34 times by Scotland, Dell is not part of the squad touring Argentina this summer but was called up by Gregor Townsend for the Six Nations and played against Italy and Ireland.

Originally from South Africa who he represented at under-20 level, the 30-year-old qualifies for Scotland through his grandmother.

“I’m excited to get stuck into life in Glasgow,” Dell told the Warriors website.

“It’s a good group of boys here, and it’s always been a club that’s played an attractive brand of rugby. To come back to Scotland and be a part of that is a really exciting prospect.

“My gran is originally from Paisley, too, so there’s a really nice family feel to coming back north and pulling on the Glasgow shirt.

“There’s a really good crop of guys in the front row here, too – Jamie [Bhatti], Oli [Kebble] Simon [Berghan] and Zander [Fagerson] I obviously know from Scotland camp, but even guys like Nathan McBeth and Murphy Walker are really talented young props. The good thing is that we’ll all push each other and challenge each other to get better, which can only be good for the club overall.”

Al Dickinson, the Glasgow Warriors scrum coach, said: “We’re excited to add Allan to our squad ahead of the new season.

“He’s a loose-head who has proven he can perform at the highest level, and adds to the quality and depth of the props we already have at Scotstoun.”