Glasgow Warriors | Warriors Academy duo to link up with Scotland Sevens
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October 01, 2026

Warriors Academy duo to link up with Scotland Sevens

Posted by Editor on October 1, 2026 02:01 PM | No comments | Print | E-mail author

Harry Provan will link up with Scotland Sevens during the 2026/27 season
Glasgow Warriors Academy prospects Alex Bryden and Harry Provan are set to link up with Scotland Sevens during the 2026/27 season, after Scottish Rugby confirmed details of the programme for the new campaign.

The Glasgow duo are among seven Academy players who will spend selected periods with the full-time Sevens programme, with their involvement aligned to their individual development plans.

They join Edinburgh Rugby prospects Ben McDonald, Dan Kelly, Hamish MacArthur, Harry Soboil and Sam Byrd in being given the opportunity to develop their skills in the high-performance Sevens environment.

The programme will once again be led by Head of GB Rugby Sevens Ciaran Beattie and will operate full-time from Oriam, Scotland's sports performance centre at Heriot-Watt University.

Head of Performance Pathways and former Glasgow Warriors captain Al Kellock believes the involvement of Academy players from both professional clubs will provide another important opportunity within the Scottish Rugby pathway.

"It's great to have our Academy players from Edinburgh and Glasgow heavily involved with the Scotland Sevens squad," said Kellock.

"Alignment across the pathway for players and coaches is key to our programme as a whole, supporting development and leadership, and this is just another example of that."

Bryden and Provan will also link up with fellow Warrior Ben Salmon, who has been named amongst the core group of seven players contracted to the Scotland Sevens programme.

Salmon, part of the Glasgow Warriors Pro-Academy, was consistently involved with the Sevens setup during the previous campaign and joins Matt Davidson, Roan Frostwick, Jacob Henry, Ross McCann, Freddie Owsley and Lewis Wells in this season's contracted group.

The pathway between Sevens and the Glasgow Warriors senior squad has previously been followed by a host of players, including current Warriors Matt Fagerson and Kyle Steyn.

Reflecting on his own experience of the programme, Fagerson said: "I loved my time involved with the Sevens programme. It was a great crop while I was involved. I sadly didn't make the Commonwealth team that year because I got called back to Glasgow for an opportunity after a few injuries, but in terms of training and playing, it's an incredible game.

"Your skills develop, it's a great group of boys, and you get to travel the world playing in loads of countries, so I can't speak highly enough about it."

Beattie is looking forward to integrating the next generation of prospects alongside the programme's contracted players.

"We are delighted to be back focusing on sevens in Scotland for another season," he said.

"Scotland is the birthplace of sevens and holds a special place in any player's heart here. In our second year of running this programme, in its current form, we're seeing far more alignment and some really positive stories from last season.

"Players from club, Academy, and professional all representing their country and stretching themself in an environment that is both tough and fun.

"We have been at it now for a few weeks, and I'm looking forward to some of the young guys coming to Kenya for Safari Sevens, to experience what it's like to be mixed in with our core veteran group."

Scotland Sevens return to action for the first time since 2022 when they travel to Nairobi for the Safari Sevens from 9-11 October.

Scotland Sevens contracted players:

Ben Salmon
Freddie Owsley
Jacob Henry
Lewis Wells
Matt Davidson
Roan Frostwick
Ross McCann

Academy players:

Ben McDonald (Edinburgh Rugby)
Dan Kelly (Edinburgh Rugby)
Hamish MacArthur (Edinburgh Rugby)
Harry Soboil (Edinburgh Rugby)
Sam Byrd (Edinburgh Rugby)
Alex Bryden (Glasgow Warriors)
Harry Provan (Glasgow Warriors)