Edinburgh Rugby strengthen back-row options with loan signing of Glasgow Warriors man

Matt Smith has joined Edinburgh on loan until the end of the season

Matt Smith has swapped Glasgow Warriors for Edinburgh Rugby on a loan deal until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old flanker joined the Scotstoun side as an academy prospect in 2014 and has crossed the whitewash twice in 25 appearances for Glasgow since making his debut against Ospreys in 2017.

Smith, a former Scotland Under-20 cap, said: “I’m delighted with the opportunity to come on loan to Edinburgh. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in to the rest of the season."

Head Coach Richard Cockerill added: “Matt is a young, talented player who has shown during his time at Scostoun that he can perform at the highest level.

“It’s great that he gets an opportunity here at Edinburgh and he will certainly add a different dimension to an already talented back-row.”

Smith has experience with Stirling County under his belt - with whom he won the National Youth League Cup final in 2013 - and was named a Fosroc Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 3 player in 2015 and joined Glasgow Hawks later that year.

His two tries came off the bench in a PRO14 clash with Zebre, and the 6ft 1in back-rower was rewarded for an impressive start to the 2018/19 season with inclusion in Scotland's Guinness Six Nations squad for last year's Championship as injury cover, but is yet to make his senior international bow.