Adam Hastings to play for Glasgow despite fears aunt may have died

New Glasgow signing Adam Hastings will debut for the Warriors on Saturday evening despite fears his aunt may have died. The soon-to-be 28-year-old has returned to Scotstoun after three years at Gloucester and head coach Franco Smith has confirmed that the No10 will feature in the pre-season fixture versus Connacht two weeks before they open their URC title defence away to Ulster on September 21.

Hastings aunt Jenny, the wife of former Scotland midfielder Scott, has been missing since last Tuesday evening after going wild swimming at Wardie Bay in Edinburgh. As extensive search has been conducted for the 60-year-old who has battled depression.

Scottish media have reported that Smith has spoken with Hastings to check whether he was still prepared to play for Glasgow on Saturday despite his family situation. “I’m a person for people because that is obviously the thing that comes first,” explained the head coach.

“We would have not played him or involved him if it wasn't through his voluntary commitment. We obviously had a discussion and he is 100 percent fine to play. He acknowledges that it is a difficult period but that it shouldn't influence what he needs to do on the weekend, so we are appreciative of that.”

Having only taken over the Warriors in 2022 the year after Hastings exited for Gloucester, this current pre-season is the first time that Smith has worked with the out-half who first enlisted for duty at Scotstoun in 2017 after coming through the ranks at Bath.

“I have never worked with him before and I haven’t really followed his career so closely,” admitted Smith, who initially came to Europe in 2020 to work with the Italian national team. “I know of him having prepped against him maybe once or twice when he was much younger.

“I also advised him, as I advise everybody, that we will draw a line beyond what has happened. It's about what is going to happen. It’s not about what has happened previously in his career. There is no new pressure, no new expectation. It’s about him running out there and becoming the best rugby player he can be. I hope that he has completely reset his approach, that he has got rid of all previous injuries or fears of injury. I don’t want him to carry any burden into this.

“We just want to give him an opportunity to become better and he must contribute. That is what I advise my children who are also playing those types of roles: you play for the team. I hope he will play on Saturday with no expectations, just coming to contribute.”