The 2019–20 season will see Glasgow Warriors compete in the competitions: the Guinness Pro14
and the European Champions Cup. Due to the coronavirus pandemic the season was postponed in May 2020. It continued with a very restricted season finale in August 2020.
Season overview
New logo, new website
The logo of Glasgow Warriors - apart from a very short spell when the club was deemed Glasgow Caledonians (on the merger with the Caledonia Reds) – was essentially the same for 23 years since the club turned professional. It was that of a Strathclyde warrior wearing a nasal spangenhelm helmet holding a rugby ball and a targe.
The new logo is still of a Strathclyde warrior with a spangenhelm helmet but the similarities end there. Only the warrior's head is now visible; the warrior is now bearded; there is no rugby ball; no targe. Instead in a nod to the old Glasgow District badge logo a saltire is in the background and the words Glasgow Warriors are part of the design below the Strathclyde warrior.[1]
The whole impression is now much more like an American NHL or NFL design.[2]
The club website also was updated. Rebranded with the new logo it was termed a 'mobile first' design given that 75% of its hits were from mobile phones.[3]
The Glasgow Warriors board and the Scottish Rugby Union wasted no time in announcing Dave Rennie's successor in the Head Coach role at the club. The very next day from the Rennie announcement, on 20 November 2019, came the news that the Scotland forwards coach Danny Wilson would take over as Head Coach at Glasgow Warriors in the summer of 2020.[5] Wilson took over on 1 June 2020.
Coronavirus pandemic
Due to the pandemic of the deadly COVID-19 strain of coronavirus, the Pro14 suspended all matches in March 2020 to the end of the season. The final, due to take place in Cardiff, was cancelled. If the final was to be played, the team with the highest league ranking points would instead host the match.[6]
The 2019–20 season was extended due to coronavirus. It was to resume in August with teams playing 2 matches against the other teams in the Pro14 that had the same nationality. For Glasgow Warriors this meant that two matches were to be played against Edinburgh Rugby. More controversially, the Pro14 dropped the quarter finals which effectively meant that Glasgow Warriors would not make the play-offs in this season.
These players are given a professional contract by the Scottish Rugby Academy. Although given placements they are not contracted by Glasgow Warriors. Players graduate from the academy when a professional club contract is offered.[8]
During the 2019–20 season, Glasgow have used 52 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and points scored by each player.
Ulster: Michael Lowry; Craig Gilroy, Matt Faddes, James Hume, Angus Kernohan; Billy Burns (C), Johnny Stewart; Kyle McCall, Adam McBurney, Ross Kane, Alan O’Connor, David O’Connor, Clive Ross, Marcus Rea, Greg Jones Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Sam Carter, Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Sean Reidy, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, John Cooney, Angus Curtis, Luke Marshall, Graham Curtis, Ethan McIlroy
Glasgow Warriors: 1. Oli Kebble 2. Johnny Matthews 3. Adam Nicol 4. Tim Swinson (C) 5. Kiran McDonald 6. Matt Smith 7. Tom Gordon 8. Adam Ashe 9. Sean Kennedy 10. Brandon Thomson 11. Ratu Tagive 12. Robbie Fergusson 13. Nick Grigg 14. Robbie Nairn 15. Glenn Bryce Replacements: Pat O'Toole, Alex Allan, D'arcy Rae, George Thornton, Rob Harley, Lars Morrice, Cameron Henderson, Marshall Sykes, Chris Fusaro, Nick Frisby, Jamie Dobie, Ross Thompson, Paddy Kelly, Alec Coombes, Kyle Rowe, Max McFarland, Ollie Smith.
Glasgow Warriors: 1. Oli Kebble, 2. Johnny Matthews, 3. D'arcy Rae, 4. Andrew Davidson, 5. Tim Swinson, 6. Rob Harley, 7. Chris Fusaro (c), 8. Adam Ashe, 9. Nick Frisby, 10. Brandon Thomson, 11. Rory Hughes, 12. Stafford McDowall, 13. Huw Jones, 14. Kyle Steyn, 15. Glenn Bryce
Replacements: Grant Stewart, Alex Allan, Adam Nicol, Kiran McDonald, Bruce Flockhart, Sean Kennedy, Paddy Kelly, Ruaridh Jackson Charlie Capps, Callum Gibbins, Matt Fagerson, Jamie Dobie, Nick Grigg, Ratu Tagive, Gavin Lowe.
Ulster: Will Addison; Craig Gilroy, Matt Faddes, Stuart McCloskey, Rob Lyttle; Billy Burns (captain), John Cooney
Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Kieran Treadwell, Sam Carter, Matty Rea, Sean Reidy, Nick Timoney
Replacements: John Andrew, Kyle McCall, Jack McGrath, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Jordi Murphy, Greg Jones, David Shanahan, Bill Johnston, James Hume, Angus Curtis, Angus Kernohan, Michael Lowry.
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order -[46]
number of matches won
the difference between points for and points against
the number of tries scored
the most points scored
the difference between tries for and tries against
the fewest red cards received
the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams that compete in the Pro14 play-offs, and also earn a place in the 2020–21 European Champions Cup
Blue background indicates teams outside the play-off places that earn a place in the 2020–21 European Champions Cup Red background indicates teams ineligible for European cup tournaments Plain background indicates teams that earn a place in the 2020–21 European Rugby Challenge Cup.
(CH) Champions. (RU) Runners-up. (SF) Losing semi-finalists. (Q) Qualified for Pro14 play-off semi-finals. (e) Cannot reach play-offs.
^Ulster deducted 1 point for administration error regarding Ian Madigan. [45]
In the European Rugby Champions Cup pool stage, Glasgow Warriors were placed as Tier 2 seeds and drawn with English sides Exeter Chiefs and Sale Sharks and French side La Rochelle.
A player's nationality shown is taken from the nationality at the highest honour for the national side obtained; or if never capped internationally their place of birth. Senior caps take precedence over junior caps or place of birth; junior caps take precedence over place of birth. A player's nationality at debut may be different from the nationality shown. Combination sides like the British and Irish Lions or Pacific Islanders are not national sides, or nationalities.
Players in BOLD font have been capped by their senior international XV side as nationality shown.
Players in Italic font have capped either by their international 7s side; or by the international XV 'A' side as nationality shown.
Players in normal font have not been capped at senior level.
A position in parentheses indicates that the player debuted as a substitute. A player may have made a prior debut for Glasgow Warriors in a non-competitive match, 'A' match or 7s match; these matches are not listed.