Signing: Duncan Weir swaps Glasgow for Edinburgh

It was announced today that Glasgow and Scotland fly half Duncan Weir will be making the short journey down the M8 to Edinburgh on a 2 year contract starting at the end of the season.

The 21 time capped Glaswegian native looks set to fill the gaping hole at the capital side in the pivotal stand-off position. It will be welcome news to Edinburgh fans who haven’t had a nailed-on naturalised 10 at the club since Phil Godman and Harry Leonard left (some might say since Duncan Hodge retired), with the likes of Greig Laidlaw, Chris Paterson and, more recently, Greig Tonks and Phil Burleigh filling in. This must also signal an end to the Tonks experiment at 10, a position he failed to really make his own, and it either means Burleigh is set to leave in May, or is expected to fill the massive inside centre boots left by the departure of Matt Scott.

It is a transfer that many in the game have been calling for some time due to the seeming profligacy of having Scotland’s two top 10’s at the same club. With Finn Russell’s recent ascent to undisputed playmaker it seems a shrewd move on the part of Weir, who presumably hopes to get more game time having debatably slipped behind ex-Warrior team mate Ruaridh Jackson in the Scotland pecking order.

His style also seems a better fit for Alan Solomon’s brand of territory-first rugby, as opposed to the harem scarum back play employed by Townsend, Russell & co.

Let’s hope that under the tutelage of Solomons and Hodge he can rediscover the promise he most notably showed in the 2012 Scotland A demolition of England Saxons.

Credit: Borders Rugby

At his best the diminutive Weir is capable of controlling the game with his thunderous boot and playing right on the edge of the game line, so I’m sure everyone is Scotland will be wishing him well at his new home.

DUNCAN WEIR’S GLASGOW RECORD: