Shortlist for first Warrior of the Month for 2024/25 announced

Four of the outstanding performers from the opening two rounds of the BKT United Rugby Championship are in the running to be named as McCrea Financial Services Warrior of the Month for September, as Glasgow Warriors hit the ground running at the start of their title defence.

A titanic defensive effort in round one ultimately proved in vain as Franco Smith’s side were edged out by the narrowest of margins away to Ulster on the opening weekend, before finding their groove in style by racing to a 42-10 victory over Benetton at Scotstoun last Friday night.

Shortlisted by Smith and his coaching team, each of the four nominees is also in the running to receive a donation to their chosen charity courtesy of McCrea Financial Services should they emerge victorious from the public vote.

McCrea Financial Services will also be supporting Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity over the course of the season as their Official Charity Partner, with several Warriors electing to support the club’s Fighting for our Families campaign with their monthly awards over the course of 2023/24.

🏃 It’s now 5⃣ days until 16 of our staff and coaches run the @GreatScotRun.

We’re targeting £5K from the run to go towards our mission to £85K for @GCH_Charity.

There’s still time to sign up if you want to run: https://t.co/Vrj7RDOOxi

🪙 Donate here: https://t.co/WOtxVxblP3 pic.twitter.com/BKJrjnt0zm

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) October 1, 2024

Supporters can vote for their winner until 5pm on Friday 4 October by heading to the club’s official Twitter profile.

The nominees are:

Rory Darge

Openside flanker Darge has started the 2024/25 season in blistering form, his early performances underlining his calibre as one of the leading back-rowers in the northern hemisphere.

A monumental shift in defence saw the Scotland star record 39 tackles in the 20-19 loss to Ulster, a tally second only to Jonny Gray’s 2019 tally of 43 away to Leinster in the club’s all-time record books.

The North Berwick product currently leads the BKT URC in tackles with 48 after round two, having also crossed for one of Glasgow’s six tries in Friday’s win over Benetton.

Jamie Dobie

Inverness native Dobie is one of just a handful of players to have played all 160 minutes of Glasgow’s season so far, having been prominent in both attack and defence during the opening two rounds of the competition.

The scrum-half has started both matches in the number nine jersey, as well as providing his usual versatility to cover the back-three during Friday’s win over Benetton.

Dobie’s alertness saw him claim his first try of the season under the Friday night lights for good measure, finishing off a cleverly-worked blindside attack to dive over in front of the East Stand.

Euan Ferrie

Having enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2023/24, Ferrie has continued to become an integral part of the Glasgow Warriors squad by producing two impressive displays in the opening round of the new season.

An impressive impact off the bench against Ulster in round one was followed by a spot in the starting XV for the visit of Benetton to Scotstoun, the blindside providing a constant threat around the field.

Ferrie’s versatility also saw him deployed in a 20-minute shift on the wing after injuries to the Glasgow back-line, his attitude rewarded with a first-ever try at Scotstoun with the final play of the match.

Kyle Steyn

Club captain Steyn has led from the front at the outset of the new campaign, beginning the season in scintillating form for Smith’s men.

The winger leads the league in both defenders beaten and clean breaks after the opening two rounds of action, as well as sitting atop the try-scoring charts with three scores in his two starts to date.

Two of those tries came in Friday night’s win over Benetton, both coming at the end of a free-flowing team move that showcased the best of Glasgow rugby.

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