Carlin Isles will play for Glasgow © Getty Images

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Glasgow Warriors have confirmed the signing of Carlin Isles, the man dubbed the fastest player in world rugby.

Isles will need to work hard for success

• He'll come into rugby with a huge reputation, partly forged through the YouTube clip which showed him running rings around opponents on the Sevens scene, but Carlin Isles will need to develop many parts of his game which will not have been completely tested in the short-form. High balls will be peppered down his wing on a regular basis and he'll have bigger runners targeting him than he has in Sevens. It will be a shock to the system for Isles.
• He's box office, make no mistake about it, and there will be plenty of intrigue in Scotstoun to see how he does in a top-level environment. He will pose a threat heading forwards but he will need time to adjust other areas of his game.
• Tom Hamilton

Isles has been playing Sevens for the USA in the IRB World Sevens Series but he will now try his hand at XVs. He had been linked with a move to Toulon in the past, but he has taken up a contract with the Warriors.

The deal is subject to a medical and visa but he has penned a contract that takes him up to May 2015. He will arrive at Glasgow in the next fortnight and is looking forward to getting started.

"Everything has happened so quickly for me over the last couple of years and I'm just happy to be playing rugby and getting the opportunity to play at the highest level," Isles said. "I hope to score tries for the Warriors, but I also want to continue to try and help grow the game and encourage young players to take up rugby.

"It's very exciting to be moving to the 15-a-side game. It's a lot different to 7s but I want to work hard and do everything I can to succeed. I'm up for the challenge, I've been doing a lot of challenges in my life so this is just another obstacle and I'm ready to take it on.

"I've been in contact with Gregor [Townsend] a few times and knowing he really wants me and sees something in me means a lot and was a big factor in deciding to join the club. It would be nice to stay in Glasgow for a long time, but all my focus is on the next few months and the challenge ahead."

Warriors head coach Townsend hailed the signing as a "major coup" and is hopeful Isles will make an impact sooner rather than later.

"Carlin is an exceptionally gifted athlete, who has picked up the game of rugby in a very short period of time and has had a huge impact on the sevens circuit over the last couple of years," Townsend said. "He is really eager to learn and develop as a winger in the 15-a-side game. With his lightning pace and evasion skills, he already has an excellent base to challenge for a starting place until the end of the season.

"We have a few injuries in our backline, with DTH van der Merwe out for the rest of the season and Sean Maitland currently on the sidelines, so it's great that we're able to strengthen our squad at this time and I'm sure he'll fit in really well at Scotstoun."