Glasgow Warriors have signed Crusaders utility back Sean Maitland. The Heineken Cup Pool 4 club, who face back-to-back contests with Castres Olympique in December, starting at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday, 7 December, have moved to strengthen their back three.
Maitland, equally at home on the wing or at full back, qualifies for Scotland courtesy of both his paternal grandparents who were born in Glasgow.
Subject to a medical and visa, the 24-year-old will join up with the Warriors squad in the coming weeks, having put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at Scotstoun until at least the end of May, 2015.
And Maitland has strong family lineage in the game, being a cousin of Wallabies pivot Quade Cooper. He is also related to "Smoking Joe" Stanley, the centre who helped New Zealand win the Rugby World Cup in 1987.
Since making his Super Rugby debut in 2008 Maitland has scored 24 tries and was a part of the New Zealand under-19 team that won the World Cup in 2007, and the under-20 side that scooped the 2008 IRB Junior World Championship. In 2010, he represented the New Zealand Maori team.
"We're delighted to be welcoming a player of Sean Maitland's calibre to Glasgow Warriors," said head coach Gregor Townsend.
"The back three is an area of the team where we already have a number of excellent options, and Sean will provide a further layer of quality as we enter another busy phase of the season.
"It's another indication of the increasing profile of Glasgow Warriors that a player of Sean's ability and ambition sees us as a club where he can continue to progress."
Maitland is the second high-profile addition to the Warriors ranks from Super Rugby in as many months. Former Lions and Golden Lions captain Josh Strauss has already made a significant impact in the Glasgow back row, scoring a try in the recent Heineken Cup match away to Northampton Saints.
