Introduced to the sport while at Baljaffray Primary, Rob made his debut for the West of Scotland club in season 2006-2007 while he was still a pupil at Douglas Academy, Milngavie. That season, too, he played for the Scotland U17 team who won all three of their matches in the Millfield School international festival in Somerset, and he went on to start in all six of the national U18 team’s matches in March-April 2008, including the three in the Six Nations Festival in Cork, Ireland.
He's also represented his country at U20 level.
Robert is a member of Scottish Rugby's National Junior Academy and supported by the West of Scotland Area Institute of Sport.
The departure of second-row stalwarts Dan Turner and Tim Barker has opened up vacancies at lock, and Sean Lineen is excited by National Academy prospect Harley.
"Rob has been outstanding for the U20s," he continued. "He's really driven, you can see the hunger in his eyes, and he will push the locks that are already there now.
"He's not coming in to develop, he's ready to play now and will give us the competition we need at lock."