2023/24 McCrea Financial Services Player of the Season shortlist revealed

Seven outstanding performers from the campaign so far are in the running to be named as 2023/24 McCrea Financial Services Player of the Season, as Glasgow Warriors continue their chase of a home playoff spot in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

As the regular season draws to a close, a campaign that has seen 1872 Cup glory against Edinburgh; historic wins over Aviron Bayonnais and RC Toulon; and Franco Smith’s men topping the BKT URC standings with two rounds remaining will be celebrated in full at the club’s annual Awards Dinner, sponsored by The Malcolm Group, on Saturday 1 June.

In a squad full of standout performers, the shortlist of seven players was compiled by the club’s coaching group, with the winner to be decided by the Warrior Nation and revealed on the night at Hilton Glasgow.

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The nominees – in alphabetical order by surname – are:

Zander Fagerson

Fagerson’s tireless work ethic around the field this season has only further cemented his standing as Scotland’s top tight-head, frequently standing out in the tight exchanges in 2023/24.

The prop’s tally of 96 carries to date sees him sit inside the top 50 across the full BKT URC, one of only two props to feature within the top 50 in the category.

He has featured in 16 of the club’s 21 fixtures this season to date, including a 72-minute shift in the 1872 Cup victory over Edinburgh at Scotstoun.

George Horne

Winner of the award on three occasions during his Glasgow Warriors career to date— including last season—scrum-half Horne finds himself on the shortlist once more after another standout campaign in the number nine jersey.

His try off the bench away to Zebre Parma last month saw the Howe of Fife product move into third place in the club’s all-time try-scoring charts, with only DTH van der Merwe and Tommy Seymour now ahead of him in the record books.

Horne has contributed 34 points with the boot in the BKT URC to date, in addition to his four tries across the competition as a whole.

Tom Jordan

Former Ayrshire Bull lynchpin Jordan is nominated for the award for the first time, having taken home the Defender Breakthrough Player of the Season prize at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

No Warrior has made more clean breaks in the BKT URC than Jordan’s tally of 15 so far, his tally placing him eighth in the league-wide standings after 16 rounds of competition.

Also featuring in the top 20 for defenders beaten, his versatility has also seen him shine at both fly-half and inside centre across the campaign to date.

Johnny Matthews

Having already established himself as a firm favourite with the Warrior Nation, hooker Matthews began his 2023/24 campaign by picking up where he left off, scoring for a try on his Scotland debut against Romania at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Upon his return to Scotstoun, the former Sedgley Park and Boroughmuir man set the pace across the league, sitting top of the try-scoring charts with 12 tallies, in addition to winning more lineouts – 136 – than any other hooker in the league.

Matthews became the first player in Glasgow Warriors history to score 20 tries in a calendar year in 2023, moving into the top-five in the club’s history by scoring against Munster back in November.

Stafford McDowall

Stewartry product McDowall, like Horne, is nominated for the second successive campaign, after a season that has seen the centre go from strength to strength in the midfield.

Comfortable in both he 12 and 13 jerseys, McDowall sits inside the top 10 across the BKT URC for both carries and defenders beaten, whilst only Scott Cummings has won more turnovers for the Warriors this season.

His form in Glasgow colours saw him earn a much-deserved international debut in the 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Italy, before impressing on his first Guinness Six Nations start when taking on Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in March.

Josh McKay

A near ever-present figure for the Warriors this season after starting in 18 of the club’s 21 matches to date, McKay has consistently impressed the Warrior Nation in 2023/24.

No Warrior has beaten more defenders (44), made more offloads (20) or made more metres with ball in hand (966) than McKay in the league this season, the Kaiapoi product providing an assured presence in the backfield.

The full-back also wrote his name into the club record books in February, with his try after just 30 seconds in the 40-7 victory over the Dragons at Scotstoun the fastest ever recorded by a Glasgow Warrior.

Henco Venter

Hard-running back-rower Venter has immediately caught the eye in his first season at Scotstoun, the summer arrival from the Hollywoodbets Sharks becoming a consistent presence in the matchday 23.

The top tackler in a Glasgow shirt this season to date, the South African’s experience and work ethic have made him an invaluable asset in the club’s pursuit of a home playoff berth.

His tally of 110 carries also makes Venter the top carrier amongst the Glasgow pack in the BKT URC this season, endearing himself to the Warrior Nation with his no-nonsense approach.

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