Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Jackson signing adds to conjecture around Aaron Cruden's rumoured Glasgow move

Aaron Cruden

News that Glasgow Warriors have re-signed club centurion Ruaridh Jackson asks considerable questions of the widespread speculation that All Black Aaron Cruden could be set to move to the PRO14 outfit.

ADVERTISEMENT

Jackson has signed a new contract with the club until June 2020 and with the option of a further year, subject to medical. That brings to two the number of international flyhalves at their disposal when you count current first choice 10 Adam Hastings.

The club point out that the 31-year-old Jackson is ‘equally comfortable at full-back or fly-half’. Jackson made his 150th appearance for the Warriors earlier this season, becoming the 12th player to reach the milestone when he took to the field in a 42-10 victory away to Zebre.

Continue reading below…

Video Spacer

Having made his Glasgow debut in October 2006 with a 16-minute cameo against GRAN Rugby Parma, Jackson grabbed the headlines on his starting debut for the Warriors with an impressive performance in a 35-31 defeat to Bath in December 2008.

After enjoying a three-year stint in the English Premiership with Wasps and Harlequins, the Aberdonian re-joined Glasgow ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

Jackson is the 18th player to re-sign with the club this season. In December Hastings signed a new two-year contract with Glasgow Warriors, committing to the Scotstoun club until at least 2021. The fly-half has been in scintillating form so far this season.

Jackson and Hastings’ signings raise the question, do Glasgow really need to fork out a fortune for Aaron Cruden when they have two international flyhalves already on the books?

It is highly unlikely that Glasgow would use Cruden as back-up to the still-developing Hastings, and in Jackson the club will have an able lieutenant during their international windows if the Cruden deal doesn’t go ahead. His move would also beg the question does the SRU want to stall the development of Adam Hastings any longer than they have to?

ADVERTISEMENT

Added to this, many think the club would better served to invest in more forward firepower rather than a third top-class flyhalf – albeit one of Cruden’s calibre.

Cruden is contracted with Montpellier until summer 2020, but The Scotsman newspaper is speculating there is a 70 percent chance that the New Zealander is poised to become Warriors’ new playmaker.

The newspaper suggests that Cruden, who is on a reported €700,000 per annum at Montpellier, is open to taking a pay cut of approximately €180,000 (his wage would be £400,000 to £450,000). It added that the French club would also not ask for financial compensation despite the 50-cap All Black still having 12 months to run on his Top 14 deal.

Cruden’s inconsistent form and run of injuries have not endeared him to big-spending Mohed Altrad, who is disappointed that his club have struggled to follow up last year’s run to the Top 14 final with another impressive title challenge and an improved Champions Cup effort.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
BeamMeUp 27 minutes ago
The Springboks have something you don't have

A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!


The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.


Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)


I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.


This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).


This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.


Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!


Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍

12 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Fissler Confidential: Willie le Roux rumours ignite after Bok star spotted Fissler Confidential: Willie le Roux rumours ignite after Bok star spo
Search