Williamson agrees contract extension with Glasgow Warriors

• 20 Jun 2023

Highly-rated second-row prospect Max Williamson is looking forward to pushing for a Glasgow Warriors debut in 2023/24, after putting pen to paper on a new deal with his hometown club.

The 20-year-old was one of four graduates from the FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy to sign a first professional contract in the summer of 2022, with Williamson joining former Scotland U20 team-mates Alex Samuel and Euan Ferrie in agreeing new contracts ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Born in Glasgow, the second-rower came through the ranks with Stirling County, having first pulled on the colours of the Bridgehaugh outfit at the age of five.

Williamson has since gone on to represent both Stirling Wolves and Glasgow Warriors A with distinction in the FOSROC Super Series as well as a loan spell at Doncaster Knights, his set-piece ability and dynamic carrying catching the eye of supporters and pundits alike.

A student at the University of Strathclyde, he was invited to train with the senior Scotland squad as an apprentice during the 2021 Guinness Six Nations.

“I’m very pleased to be staying at Glasgow,” Williamson told glasgowwarriors.org.

“I think we’re growing as a squad and it’s exciting to be a part of it.

“The new way that we’ve been training has allowed me massively to improve my ball carrying and contact area – the drills Franco [Smith] has brought in along with extra work done around our gym sessions has really helped me come on in the last year.

“Working with guys like Richie [Gray], Scott [Cummings] and the other experienced second-rowers we have here is great, too – it’s really interesting and useful to see and learn just how they go about their business individually around the field, as well as running our lineout.

“My time down in Doncaster was a really good experience and has developed me a lot as player, too, and my main goal for next season is to work hard to put myself in the best physical and playing condition to be ready to perform and push to get selected for my Glasgow debut.”

Head Coach Franco Smith added: “Max is a talented young prospect with whom we’re excited to continue working.

“He’s a young player who has already shown a strong work ethic and a desire to be the best version of himself he can be, and he is an athlete with real potential.

“We’re pleased that he has bought into what we are building at Scotstoun, and we look forward to continuing to watch him develop over the coming months.”