DANNY Wilson believes that everything possible was done to persuade Adam Hastings not to leave Glasgow for Gloucester, including making him “a very competitive offer”, but that in the end the stand-off’s desire to return to the English Premiership prevailed.

The Warriors and Gloucester announced simultaneously yesterday that Hastings, who is currently recuperating from shoulder surgery, would move from Scotstoun to Kingsholm at the end of this season. The 24-year-old only played a dozen times for Bath’s senior team in his three seasons there before he signed for Glasgow, having already signed on at the Recreation Ground as an academy player, and he clearly believes he has unfinished business in the English top flight.

The impending departure of the playmaker is another blow for Wilson, who has won only two games so far this season, with the bulk of his first-choice team being unavailable for most matches through illness or international duty. Sunday’s 42-0 Champions Cup loss to Exeter was just the latest reverse, and the head coach admitted that he had been frustrated by Hastings’ news.

“It is a blow, and frustrating, losing Adam,” Wilson said. “We wanted him to stay in Scotland and stay in Glasgow.

“I believe there was a real effort made by Scottish Rugby to keep Adam in Scotland - I believe it was a very competitive offer. That was exactly what we all wanted to happen. But he wanted to play in the Premiership - that seemed to be the big reason he wanted to take the opportunity.

“He has developed really well and become a really good player and done well on the international stage, and when that happens clubs will come looking. It is an opportunity he deemed too good to turn down, so he has made that decision.”

Wilson’s priority now is to sign a replacement for Hastings in addition to another back-up stand-off and a full-back, although the budgetary restrictions that are currently in place mean that none is likely to arrive before next season. Munster’s Scottish-qualified fly-half Ben Healy is understood to be top of Glasgow’s list, though yesterday the coach declined to mention him by name.

“There is nothing I can say today until I can clarify, confirm or deny anything,” he added when asked about Healy. “I am trying to sign more than one. There is a fair bit of work to be done around 10 and hopefully we can confirm something around that sometime soon.”

Shortly before Gloucester and Glasgow announced Hastings’ move, the West Country club said that England international Danny Cipriani was to leave them with immediate effect. The announcement prompted some speculation on social media that the 33-year-old was about to move to the Warriors, but Wilson intimated that the kind of salary he was used to commanding would put Cipriani well out of reach. For the time being, then, Glasgow will persist with Pete Horne as their first option at stand-off, and Brandon Thomson as back-up. Hastings needed a shoulder operation after sustaining damage while playing for Scotland against Wales at the end of October and is around two months away from making a comeback. When he does, it will probably be for the national team, Wilson thinks, with a reappearance for the Warriors to follow.

“He will play for Scotland first in terms of his route to recovery. When he comes back, he will play passionately for Glasgow, I have no doubt about that.”

Earlier, quoted on the Warriors website, Hastings himself said something similar, while also confirming that the urge to play in England again had been the determining factor in his decision to head south. “The chance to return to play in the English Premiership with a club like Gloucester has been an ambition of mine,” he said. “However, this was an extremely tough decision. Glasgow made a very good offer and I absolutely love being at the club and with the boys here.

“I’m still thoroughly enjoying being at the Warriors and have grown as a player and person since arriving in 2017. I’m extremely focussed on my rehab to return as soon as possible and can’t wait to pull on a Glasgow shirt before the end of the season, hopefully in front of a packed Scotstoun.”