Damien Hoyland Re-Signed for 2025

By Alistair Kirsch-Poole
Dec 18, 2024 - 2:00pm

Old Glory has announced the re-signing of fullback Damien Hoyland. The 30-year-old Scotsman was one of a trio of experienced back three players who joined the team last year, along with Perry Humphreys and Axel Muller.

Hoyland was involved with rugby early, representing Edinburgh and Scotland at successive age grade levels until he made his senior debut in 2014. He proceeded to play for Edinburgh for the next nine seasons, earning 105 caps and scoring 26 tries. He has also played internationally for Scotland, with 5 total test caps.

His first season with OGDC can only be described as a huge success. He lead the team with 966 meters gained in 2024, good for over 9 meters per carry. He was a difficult man for opposing defenses to bring down, with his average of 3.73 defenders beaten per match one of the best in the league.

If there was a flaw with his season, it's that, much like his compatriots Muller and Humphreys, he missed about a third of the season due to visa delays and injuries. In 2025, missing out on Hoyland for large portions of the season could be a significant issue, as not obvious who will replace him. Last season Gradyn Bowd stepped into that role with some frequency, and incoming utility back Jason Emery would also be an option. The ideal, though, would be for Hoyland to simply stay healthy.