Glasgow Warriors head coach, Gregor Townsend, has said he is relaxed about the prospect of his Scotland and Lions utility back, Sean Maitland, leaving the club at the end of the season, insisting that the Scotstoun side have the resources to cope with his loss.
Maitland, who first rose to prominence with the Crusaders in his native New Zealand but has won 15 Scotland caps since his move to Glasgow in 2012, has signed a long-term deal with London Irish, but World Cup commitments suggest he will not join up with the Reading-based club before October.
Townsend refused to confirm whether Glasgow had offered Maitland a new contract, but it was an open secret in Scottish rugby circles that the 26-year-old has been one of the highest-paid players in the country for the past few seasons and his departure will presumably free up considerable resources than can be spent elsewhere.
"We wish Sean all the best in the next stage of his career," said Townsend. "He has been an excellent player for us since he came over here and it has coincided with him playing international rugby and then getting the British and Irish Lions.
"That is down to the work he has put in since he got here. It must have been a big change coming from New Zealand, southern hemisphere rugby, to come up here and he has played some excellent games for us."
A growing number of Test players on the Warriors' books has put huge pressure on the club's finances, as players are typically rewarded with a higher salary when they move up to international level.
"We have a budget that we have to stick to," Townsend explained. "We get a lot of investment from Scottish rugby, but I don't think there is any squad in world rugby that has 37 test players like we do, with 31 who have played international rugby for Scotland.
"That means you won't be able to keep on everyone. You have to look to retaining certain players and adding to that group within certain financial limits."
Glasgow face a critical European Champions Cup tie against Bath on Sunday, but Townsend dismissed a suggestion that the timing of the Maitland announcement could be a disruptive influence on the squad. He also confirmed that the player was in the frame to play against the English side.
The coach said: "There are no problems with playing him as he will be in a very good place now that he has his future sorted out ahead of the Six Nations. He will want to play his best for himself for the Six Nations and will want to do well for a club he cares a lot about."
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