Glasgow Warriors confirm 2025/26 Academy intake

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MAY 22: The Warriors' players huddle at full time during a match between Glasgow Warriors A and Black Lion at Scotstoun Stadium, on May 22, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Of the 23, five are new faces with Seb Stephen, Jackson Rennie, Dylan Cockburn, Jack Oliver and Cameron van Wyk added to the group that will train alongside Franco Smith’s squad.

Stephen is already familiar to Warriors fans having been drafted into a senior squad for the final game of the 2024/25 regular season putting in a standout performance against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.

Second-row Cockburn joins from Melrose where he has been playing in the Arnold Clark Premiership. He also featured for Scotland in the opening two matches of this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship.

Jack Oliver joins from Munster where he had already experienced senior rugby. Like Stephen, the scrum-half spent time in the Warriors environment at the end of least season and played for a Glasgow Warriors U23 side away in Treviso.

Similarly, Ayr RFC and Scotland U20 winger van Wyk pulled on a Warriors shirt for the club’s A team fixture against Black Lion in May and will return to Scotstoun full time for the coming season.

Jackson Rennie currently plays for Ellon RFC’s U18 side. The young prop has previously been named in a Scotland U18 Development squad and represented Glasgow Warriors U18 during the February 2025 inter-city fixtures against Edinburgh.

Of the existing squad members, Macenzzie Duncan and Kerr Johnston have already made their professional debuts for the Warriors. Duncan’s form to the back end of last season so impressive that he forced his way onto the bench for the club’s URC Semi-Final against Leinster.

11 of the 23 are currently in Kenny Murray’s U20 squad competing at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.

Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith said: “We are excited by the potential within this group and are looking forward to them learning from and bringing energy to our environment this coming season.

“The academy has been a successful breeding ground for talent in recent years, last season Jare Oguntibeju and Duncan Munn both signed pro contracts having forced their way into the senior side.

“With a slightly smaller senior squad next season there will be likely be more opportunity for some of these players to pull on a Glasgow jersey and I hope they are excited and motivated to do so.”

Glasgow Warriors 2025/26 Academy Intake 

Joe Roberts – Hooker

Sep Stephen – Hooker

Ollie McKenna – Prop

Jackson Rennie – Prop

Jake Shearer – Prop

Ryan Burke – Lock

Dan Halkon – Lock

Dylan Cockburn – Back Row

Macenzzie Duncan – Back Row

Archie McMichael – Back Row

Jonny Morris – Back Row

Rory Purvis – Back Row

Brent Jackson – Scrum Half

Jack Oliver – Scrum Half

Matthew Urwin – Fly Half

Alex Bryden – Centre

Ben Salmon – Centre

Kerr Johnston – Centre

Johnny Ventisei – Centre

Kerr Yule – Centre

Harry Provan – Back Three

Fergus Watson – Back Three

Cameron van Wyk – Back Three