Glasgow Warriors add Talakai ahead of new campaign

Glasgow Warriors have bolstered their front-row options ahead of beginning their defence of the BKT United Rugby Championship title, after Australian international prop Sam Talakai agreed to join the defending champions ahead of the 2024/25 season, subject to visa.

The 32-year-old will link up with his new team-mates at Scotstoun in the coming weeks, joining Scotland internationals Zander Fagerson and Murphy Walker, as well as new arrivals, Patrick Schickerling and Fin Richardson, and academy prospects Callum Norrie and Jake Shearer, on the tight-head side of the scrum.

A seasoned campaigner in Super Rugby, Talakai brings a wealth of experience to Scotstoun, with 100 matches in the competition to his name since making his professional debut.

A product of Waverley College in Sydney – alma mater of Australian internationals including 1999 Rugby World Cup winner, Owen Finegan, and Morgan Turinui –, Talakai became a regular for Sydney University, making 72 first-grade appearances for the club.

His form for the University saw him called up to the Waratahs squad in the summer of 2013, coming off the bench to make his professional debut against the British and Irish Lions.

Standing at 6ft, the prop’s Super Rugby breakthrough came at the Queensland Reds, making 40 appearances for the men in maroon between 2015 and 2017.

Talakai then made the switch to join the Melbourne Rebels – and future Glasgow Warriors team-mate Sione Tuipulotu – ahead of the 2018 season and quickly became a near ever-present for his new squad, missing only one match across a two-year stint with the franchise.

After a short spell in Japan at the end of 2018, three seasons at Suntory Sungoliath followed, helping helping a star-studded Sungoliath squad reach three Grand Finals before returning to the Rebels ahead of the 2023 Super Rugby campaign.

Talakai’s form saw him drafted into the Australia squad for the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, with former Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Dave Rennie handing the tight-head his international debut by selecting him amongst the replacements for a 39-34 victory over Wales in Cardiff.

A consistent presence during his second spell with the Rebels, he featured in all 29 of their matches across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, making his 100^th Super Rugby appearance in the franchise’s quarter-final defeat to the Hurricanes earlier this year.

Talakai has also represented Australia A and the Barbarians, serving as vice-captain in the latter’s clash with Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens last September before coming off the bench against Bristol Bears the following weekend.

“I’m really looking forward to joining the squad,” Talakai told glasgowwarriors.org following his signing.

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about the club and the people, and the direction the club is heading played a big part.

“The rugby program is impressive, there’s a great squad assembled and my kids getting to experience a new culture – both as part of Glasgow Warriors and in the city of Glasgow – is the cherry on top.”

“I spoke with Franco earlier in the year and he talked about the club’s vision and the direction we’re travelling as a group. It was an impressive catch-up and I’m excited to get stuck in.

“Since then, I’ve been in regular contact with Sione [Tuipulotu]. We played together in Australia and he spoke really highly of the club, the group and the city. Those conversations, and hearing the positive things everyone has to say about the club, made the decision quite easy for me in the end.

“On the field, I’m someone who just goes to work and executes my core role for the team. Off the field I’m pretty chilled. My family and I will just look to settle in and connect to the community, and we’re looking forward to meeting the Warrior Nation soon.”

Head Coach Franco Smith added: “Sam is a proven performer who we believe can add to our squad this season.

“To play 100 matches in Super Rugby shows the consistently high levels of performance he brings, and to have someone with that experience in our squad that our young, Scottish-qualified front-rowers can learn from can only benefit both the club and Scottish rugby in the long-term.

“Adding Sam also allows us to manage the workload of our senior international front-rowers, across what will be a long and physical season.

“We look forward to welcoming him to Scotstoun and to our squad in the coming weeks.”