Glasgow Warriors sign Samoa flanker TJ Ioane on loan from London Irish

Glasgow Warriors have signed the London Irish flanker TJ Ioane on loan with immediate effect.

New Glasgow Warriros signing TJ Ioane at Scotstoun Stadium. Picture: Bill Murray/SNS

The experienced Samoan international is versatile enough to play across the back row and will bolster the Warriors’ options when they lose players during the international window.

Ioane has been capped 25 times and played against Scotland at last year’s Rugby World Cup when Samoa lost 34-0.

The 31-year-old also featured against the Scots in an autumn Test in 2017 at Murrayfield, when the home side won 44-38.

“TJ is a great addition to our squad,” Glasgow Warriors head coach Danny Wilson said.

“He is a physical ball carrier who brings a huge amount of experience from his time in the Premiership and on the international stage

“He can play across the back row and will be a real asset to us as we look to overcome the recent disruption to our back row stock and the upcoming international windows.”

Born in Samoa, Ioane moved to New Zealand at the age of eight where he enjoyed an impressive rugby schooling.

Samoa's TJ Ioane takes selfies with fans at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

He helped Otago win their first Ranfurly Shield since 1957 and he was called into the Highlanders squad for the 2013 and 2014 Super Rugby campaigns.

He moved to England to join Sale Sharks in 2015 and played in the Rugby World Cup that year although did not feature against Scotland on this occasion.

He has spent the last two seasons at London Irish, making 20 appearances for the club and scoring three tries. He was part of their 2018-19 Championship-winning squad.

Ioane told the Glasgow Warriors website: “I’m grateful for the opportunity to join Glasgow Warriors and I’m really looking forward to working with this good group of boys.

New Glasgow signing TJ Ioane is tackled by Grant Gilchrist and Magnus Bradbury during the Samoa v Scotland match at last year's Rugby World Cup.

“Glasgow are an ambitious club, and everyone is very driven here.

“I’m excited to get the chance to play some footy for a club like Glasgow and I just want to help the team get the results I know we can achieve.”

Glasgow lost to Connacht in Galway in the opening round of the 2020-21 Guinness Pro14 season. They host Scarlets on Sunday in their first home match of the new campaign.

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