Johnny Matthews

Liverpool-born hooker Johnny Matthews joined up with Dave Rennie's squad ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

The hooker then impressed in his Scotstoun outings to earn a full-time contract for 2020/21, before repeating the feat ahead of the 2021/22 season.

Scottish qualified courtesy of his Glaswegian mother, Matthews had previously caught the eye in his outings for Boroughmuir in the Tennent’s Premiership.

The hooker has an uncanny knack for try-scoring, having finished top of the Premiership charts with 19 tries in 16 appearances, as well as recording 29 tries in 26 appearances for Sedgley Park in 2016/17.

His first try in Glasgow colours came in December 2020, touching down in the 83rd minute against the Dragons at Scotstoun.

The hooker made his first start for the Warriors in February 2021, packing down in the middle of the front row against Ulster at Scotstoun.

Matthews crossed for a hat-trick in a 40-12 home victory over Zebre Parma in May 2022; the feat made him the first hooker ever to score three times in one game for the club, as well as becoming the first Glasgow player to score a hat-trick since Niko Matawalu away to the Ospreys in 2018.

He repeated the feat against the same opposition a year later, scoring another hat-trick in the same fixture as the Warriors earned a 50-8 win over Zebre Parma in March 2023.

Matthews then went on to create club history against the Dragons at Scotstoun, crossing for five tries in a single match – a feat never before achieved by a Glasgow Warrior.

Further history followed at the end of 2023, as a try in victory over Edinburgh at Scotstoun saw the hooker become the first Warrior to ever record 20 tries in a calendar year.

He has previously represented Scotland at under-18 level, as well as turning out for the Scotland Club XV while at Boroughmuir, and Scotland A in their 2022 clash with Chile.

The hooker was called up to Scotland’s squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup after injuries to Dave Cherry and Stuart McInally, marking his debut in typical Matthews fashion by finishing off a flowing team move to score against Romania in Lille.

Matthews finished the 2023/24 BKT URC season as top try-scorer, breaking his own club record by scoring 14 tries to top the standings in an historic title-winning campaign for the Warriors.