Mark Bennett

Olympic silver medallist and Scotland international centre Mark Bennett joined the club on three-year deal in the summer of 2017.

Bennett missed the first half of the 2017/18 campaign through injury, but returned with a bang as he scored a dramatic winning try – his first for the club – in the 29-24 victory over Leinster in February 2018.

The centre was back to his explosive self to begin the 2018/19 season, but injury struck once again as he suffered a hamstring tear against Ulster in only the second match of the campaign.

Bennett worked tirelessly to return to full fitness however, and finished in the starting line-up for the final seven fixtures of the campaign.

The centre made his 50th appearance for the club in a dramatic 14-15 last minute win over Connacht in March 2021.

On the international stage, the centre made his Scotland debut in the 41-31 victory over Argentina at BT Murrayfield in 2014.

The Ayrshire-born centre was nominated for the 2015 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year after impressing in the Rugby World Cup, scoring three tries in four games.

Bennett has also tasted success in the abbreviated game and was selected for the Team GB Rugby Sevens side at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, and returned home with a silver medal.

The centre is a product of the Scottish Rugby age-grade system, having begun his career at Cumnock before switching to Ayr ahead of signing his first professional deal at Warriors.

Bennett captained the capital club for the first time in February 2022 in the side’s clash against Munster at Thomond Park.

The Cumnock man earned his 100th cap for the club in March 2023, with the side bagging a vital BKT URC win against the Ospreys to mark the occasion.