Glasgow sign Ryder
Glasgow have signed second-row Saracens player Tom Ryder on a two-month loan deal.
Glasgow have been searching for ways to improve their squad over the course of the summer and Ryder will give them something different in the middle of the team that they do not already have.
Ryder has made no attempt to conceal his delight at the move because it will give him the chance to play regular rugby. This will give him a better chance of making the Saracens team when he returns to the club at the end of October.
Ryder has a high number of playing qualities that will make him a popular and important member of the Glasgow team. The benefits are also numerous for the Scottish side because the deal is only a loan arrangement.
Ryder's playing attributes
Ryder is six and a half feet tall and this is something that Glasgow do not already have. They now have a very tall player that they can base line-outs around as the club attempts to make the most of territorial gains in the middle of a game.
Ryder is very strong and aggressive. This has sometimes caused him to get sent from the pitch but it will allow Glasgow to form a very intimidating team that they can use to push and press up the field.
He's got a fair amount of pace for a big man and this is what makes him so deceptive to play against. You would not expect bursts of speed from him based on his physical appearance and hence defenders are not ready or prepared for it.
Ryder said: "Glasgow had a great season last year so I'm delighted to get the opportunity to be part of a fantastic squad and train in world-class facilities. There tends to be more rugby played in the Magners League, the teams are a lot more willing to play rugby which I think will suit my style of play."
Great piece of business
Although the precise conditions of the loan deal are not known, you would have to say that this is a fantastic piece of business by Glasgow. They have got a player that they are happy with and there may be an arrangement between the clubs that means they are only paying part of his wages.
If they do not like the way that Ryder comes into the team then they are under no obligation to make the coach put up with him because he does not have a permanent contract at Glasgow.
Glasgow head coach Sean Lineen added: "He's a very mobile, modern-day lock and is incredibly hungry. You can see his ambition when you speak to him and I applaud his attitude. They're very ambitious and Tom needs game time while we get a quality lock, desperate to force his way back into regular rugby."
Betting advice
Ryder will add a great deal of power across the team and should make them a lot harder to break down during games. This means Glasgow will concede fewer points and will in turn lose fewer matches.
Avoid backing Ryder as an individual player because he will not get forward on enough occasions to make you a decent return. He is mainly a defensive player who will get stuck in at the other end of the pitch while everyone else tries to score points.
Be wary of laying longer bets on Glasgow. The obvious risk with loan players doing well is that they will not always be at the club. The defence could fall apart and gaps may start to appear once Ryder has gone back to Saracens.
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