Ex-Southern Knight Rory Darge named as Glasgow Warriors’ player of month for April ahead of their first European rugby final

The 23-year-old – at the Melrose-based semi-professional outfit for the 2019/20 season before moving on to Edinburgh, then Warriors – edged out hooker Johnny Matthews for that title with 41% of the public vote, only 3% more than the Merseysider.

Darge’s poll win comes ahead of Warriors’ first-ever appearance in a European final.

That’s for the European Professional Club Rugby Challenge Cup versus French side Toulon in Dublin tonight, May 19, with kick-off at 8pm.

Darge is on the bench for that match and ex-Melrose loosehead prop Jamie Bhatti is among the starters.

Seven-times-capped Scottish international Darge, selected for the national team’s 41-strong initial training squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup in France, put together a run of 73 tackles with none missed in late March and early April, earning him the title of defender of the week at Warriors three times in a row.

“It means a lot, this award, because so many other boys played so well in April,” Darge told his club’s website, glasgowwarriors.org

“To have the supporters voting for you makes it that much more special because they’re with us every step of the way.

“It’d been a while since I’d had a full run-out at Scotstoun, so to have been able to play so many games at home in March and April was a great feeling.

“Just to be back out there playing my part in a few big games was a fantastic feeling.

“There’s a real buzz around the place this week, and everyone is putting their hand up for this weekend.

“Every away game we’ve had we’ve seen amazing travelling support, so we’re so excited to have that with us again in Dublin.”