Lancaster signs for Glasgow Warriors

Glasgow Warriors have moved to further strengthen their back-line depth ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, after Dan Lancaster put pen to paper on a two-year deal with Franco Smith’s squad.

The 24-year-old – who qualifies for Scotland courtesy of his Dumfries-born grandmother – moves to Scotstoun following a one-year stint at Racing 92, making 25 appearances across all competitions.

Equally comfortable at both fly-half and in the centres, Lancaster scored 57 points for the Parisian outfit, starting 12 times in the Top14 and featuring in all bar one of the club’s European fixtures across the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.

Lancaster previously represented Ealing Trailfinders and Leicester Tigers, having made his senior debut for Yorkshire Carnegie after starting out at West Park RFC at the age of seven.

The Leeds-born pivot also represented Bond University in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition, enjoying a two-season spell on Australia’s Gold Coast.

He represented Scotland at U18 level, lining up alongside future team-mates such as Jamie Dobie and Ollie Smith in the dark blue jersey.

Lancaster becomes the third new Warrior to make the switch to Scotstoun ahead of the new season, following Alex Craig and Charlie Savala – along with academy graduates Jare Oguntibeju and Duncan Munn – in putting pen to paper with Smith’s squad.

“It all happened pretty quickly, to be honest,” Lancaster told glasgowwarriors.org following the announcement.

“I found out I wasn’t being kept on by Racing, and one evening shortly after that I got a call from Franco about potentially coming to Glasgow. After that call, I phoned my agent and told them that Scotstoun was where I wanted to go.

“I played against Glasgow for Racing last year, so I saw first-hand the intensity that the club brings with and without the ball – they’re a proper team. I’ve heard so may great things about the club and about Franco and the coaching team, and Lucio [Sordoni] told me how special a place it is, so it feels like the best possible place for me to develop as a rugby player.

“I know a few of the lads from playing together at Scotland U18 – I played with Jamie [Dobie] and Ollie [Smith], and Rory [Darge] was our captain as well. It’s been brilliant to see those lads go on and do incredible things for Glasgow and for Scotland, and hopefully I can follow their lead, push on and develop towards that level.

“I just want to take it as it comes – every player obviously wants to push for international honours in the long-term, but first and foremost I want to settle in well at Scotstoun and get to know everyone. I want to get my head down, work hard, buy in to what this club is all about and challenge for game time in a Glasgow shirt, I’m not looking any further ahead than that.

“I’m naturally very competitive and want to do my bit to help my team achieve everything they can achieve, so hopefully the Warrior Nation can see that passion when I get the chance to run out! I’m excited to get going in a Glasgow shirt.

Head Coach Franco Smith welcomed the club’s newest recruit, adding: “Dan is someone that we believe has a great deal of potential, and from speaking to him we know already that he is incredibly passionate about the opportunity to represent this club.

“His ability to cover a range of positions in our midfield is a real asset as we build our strength in depth ahead of the new season, whilst his performances in a highly-competitive Top14 for Racing 92 last season showcased the full range of skills that he possesses.

“He is fully bought in to what we are looking to build at Scotstoun and what it means to be a Warrior, and we look forward to welcoming him into our environment ahead of the new season.”