'No negatives' - Gregor Brown ready to fill number 8 jersey for Glasgow Warriors and Scotland
Versatile forward eager to take hybrid role to new levels following Jack Dempsey’s departure from Scotstoun.
Jack Dempsey’s move to Japan remains a topic of discussion for many Scotland fans around his future availability for the national team and how Gregor Townsend can fill any potential void left by the former Wallaby.
It’s also a question that Glasgow Warriors will have to answer this season. Jamie Ritchie adds real experience and quality to the back-row but the expectation is that he will step in at blindside flanker once fit with Matt Fagerson returning to the number 8 role.
However, there is another option for both Townsend and Franco Smith that may have gone somewhat under the radar in Gregor Brown. The 25-year-old has proven himself to be an exceptional ‘hybrid forward’ at both club and Test match level, equally adept as both a lock or a flanker.
Gregor Brown says he would welcome more opportunities to play number 8 for Glasgow Warriors and Scotland
He has played in the number 8 position briefly for Warriors before being named in the starting XV for Scotland in that jersey earlier this year when they faced Fiji in the Nations Championship. It remains to be seen if either Smith or Townsend will look to utilise him there further but the Aberdonian is certainly ready and willing to take on the challenge if presented to him.
He said: “Starting at number 8 against Fiji was really enjoyable. I think that there's quite a lot of similarities between the second row and six, whereas number 8 is sort of in its own department.
“I enjoy how it allows you to carry a little bit more often and get into the game a bit easier. It’s a little bit of a different role set-piece-wise, which kind of freshens you up for around the park.
“I don't know what Franco thinks about it. I have covered number 8 here a little bit just off the bench, but maybe I should start giving him some hints.
“Demmo [Jack Dempsey] is such a huge, huge loss for the club. He was one of the best players I've ever played with.
“Matt (Fagerson) has been reminding people that he was a number 8 for four years, I think he's obviously looking forward to getting back into that position but, honestly, there's no negatives in me trying to add that to my locker.
“The way that the modern game's going with 6–2 benches, South Africa is sometimes doing a 7–1, the ability to cover multiple positions in the pack is important and valuable. So it's something that I'm comfortable doing and if I see some more minutes at eight this year then it should be good fun.”
In terms of the conversations he has had with national team boss Gregor Townsend, and how playing number 8 against Fiji came about, Brown added: “We'd spoken about it before the summer tour a little bit. He'd asked what I thought about it, Demmo leaving Glasgow and his thoughts about me potentially being able to play it here and cover it in Scotland as well.
“I was open to it. I wasn't really expecting to be announced in the starting team at eight against Fiji, he did leave that as a bit of a surprise.
“Obviously there was loads of learning to take from it. It was my first time playing bigger minutes there but it's something that I enjoyed, and I will kind of see where that goes the rest of the season.”
“When he does speak his words really land” - Brown reveals ex Warrior Jack Dempsey helped prepare him for Fiji test
Brown also revealed that Dempsey had some words of wisdom for him before the Fiji game, adding: “He was really, really helpful. I think he's someone who, as a leader, probably doesn't speak that often, but when he does speak his words really land.
“He did come over and we did some stuff looking at Fiji on the laptops and just what to expect. It's completely different to six and second row, some stuff around kick-off receipts and carrying off the back of lineouts, he was very helpful.”
Wherever he ends up playing this season the versatile forward is raring to go and, for Glasgow, it all kicks off on Saturday. They begin their 2026/27 URC season with a tough trip to Thomond Park to face Munster.
“It's sort of a mix of being a while since playing for Glasgow and wanting pre-season to be over and into the regular season,” said Brown. “Munster away, obviously there's been a bit of a rivalry in the past there, and we've got the better of them a few times and they've got the better of us, so it's a hugely exciting challenge.”
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