The Glasgow Carpet Burns and Cary Grant Appreciation Thread

[Donny osmond]

https://x.com/GlasgowWarriors/status/17 ... 74550?s=20

[septic 9]

https://x.com/GlasgowWarriors/status/17 ... 74550?s=20

strong Warriors side. Leinster as ever have depth and structure especially in the backs but their front row players are all callow youths. Big chance for Glasgow to put one over them

Smith has completely sussed that holding all players back instead of (as he has done) bringing some Scotland players immediately then rest them with the rest coming in gives much more competitive teams and continuity

[Donny osmond]

https://x.com/GlasgowWarriors/status/17 ... 74550?s=20

strong Warriors side. Leinster as ever have depth and structure especially in the backs but their front row players are all callow youths. Big chance for Glasgow to put one over them

Smith has completely sussed that holding all players back instead of (as he has done) bringing some Scotland players immediately then rest them with the rest coming in gives much more competitive teams and continuity

I don't know much about the warriors these days but I thought that back division looked particularly handy

[Donny osmond]

Ha ha jaaaaaa! Yes! 7 try humping. Get in.

[Big D]

Very pleasing start.

[septic 9]

was at the match and watched it back last night.

Very good result of course, barely Leinster 2nds but we've been humped by them before and there is never a poor Leinster team these days.
That said, as expected the Leinster 6 front row players all struggled badly in the set scrum. They were very fortunate Evans decided he mostly did want want to know or card any of them. Still mullered them though

Despite the 7 tries there are a few key work ons. Several tries came from loads of flukey. TBF Glasgow were pretty clinical but there really was a load of luck involved in creating the breaks

[Donny osmond]

I know we had a few of our international players back but are Glasgow bringing in some young talent as well?

[septic 9]

I know we had a few of our international players back but are Glasgow bringing in some young talent as well?

depends what you mean. Of course they have a set of academy lads. On Sunday the hooker Fraser is ex academy but at 23 hardly a kid, but it was his Glasgow debut. Also have Hiddlestone who has been impressive at U20 and in S6 - both at hooker and back row. Big lad just 21. I expect him to get game time and overtake Fraser.
Blind side v Leinster was Gregor Brown, just turned 22. Made debut 2 seasons back and we lla got very excited, he them got a really nasty injury. Expect him to kick on.
At lock Alex Samuel came on for a few mins but started 3 and benched 4 last season. Ex U20 captain and still just 20. Huge guy, high hopes, will get loads of involvement I think. Also at lock is Max Williamson, who I thought the better of the pair at U20. A year older than Samuel, he trained with the full Scotland squad in 20/21 as an "apprentice". Euan Ferrie got a few games last season and didn't look out of place. 22, lock at U20, playing back row for Warriors.
Those are the guys I think could be involved this season. No doubt a couple of others as well. Several quite exciting backs coming through but don't think any quite ready, but look out for the U20 scrum half Ashfar and the U20 still 18 but big lump at centre Kerr Yule. A couple training with Glasgow or on a partnership contract are Richie Simpson and Luca Bardelli
Simpson is the great hope at 10, seems to have the full skill set and hasn't really come through the usual pathways. Bardelli might be a long shot. Again IIRC not the usual pathways. He is very small but in style he reminds some of us of the Italian Capuozzo. Very quick and elusive
There are others in the academy and they obviously scout wider. Smith will play them when they are ready and in the right match/environment, of that I have little doubt

[Cameo]

Good to see a few of those come through but the Offside Line had a section in the prematch article on u25s in each team. Leinster missing their internationals is never going to be a good comparison, but it was noteworthy that Glasgow's youngsters were not that young.

Franco Smith seems determined to bring them through, but Scottish Rugby needs to work on getting these people ready early. Otherwise we end up with people like George Turner. Good international career in the end, but by the time he came through even at club level he was half way through his career.

[Cameo]

Anyone know when Tom Jordan qualifies? Or have any views on where he would sit in the pecking order?

[Big D]

Anyone know when Tom Jordan qualifies? Or have any views on where he would sit in the pecking order?

Think he joined Ayr in 2019 or early 20.

[septic 9]

Good to see a few of those come through but the Offside Line had a section in the prematch article on u25s in each team. Leinster missing their internationals is never going to be a good comparison, but it was noteworthy that Glasgow's youngsters were not that young.

Franco Smith seems determined to bring them through, but Scottish Rugby needs to work on getting these people ready early. Otherwise we end up with people like George Turner. Good international career in the end, but by the time he came through even at club level he was half way through his career.

sigh.

Glasgow despite the persistent myth to the contrary have always been good at giving a young player chances early - if they are good enough and ready.
And will continue to do so. At Glasgow look at when the likes of Gray (*2), Barclay more recently Fagerson(*2) and Dobbie were capped by club and country.. The forwards quite remarkably young to be capped
Taking the Leinster stats you quote, they had 13 U25, Glasgow 5. As you say given the different way RWC returnees are managed (and Ireland were still there when we were out), it isn't a proper comparison. However 6 of Leinster's U25 were front row players - didn't exactly go well for them; cost them the game really . They were not as a collective ready for this level, individually I'd say maybe only one was (if surrounded by better quality/experience). That is what happens when you push lads too soon.

Players get promoted when good enough, always been the same. An good Irish example being one J Sexton. As a 21 year old, he appeared in one game for Leinster. At 22, 3 games. Not capped by Ireland until 24. Players mature at different rates

[Cameo]

Good to see a few of those come through but the Offside Line had a section in the prematch article on u25s in each team. Leinster missing their internationals is never going to be a good comparison, but it was noteworthy that Glasgow's youngsters were not that young.

Franco Smith seems determined to bring them through, but Scottish Rugby needs to work on getting these people ready early. Otherwise we end up with people like George Turner. Good international career in the end, but by the time he came through even at club level he was half way through his career.

sigh.

Glasgow despite the persistent myth to the contrary have always been good at giving a young player chances early - if they are good enough and ready.
And will continue to do so. At Glasgow look at when the likes of Gray (*2), Barclay more recently Fagerson(*2) and Dobbie were capped by club and country.. The forwards quite remarkably young to be capped
Taking the Leinster stats you quote, they had 13 U25, Glasgow 5. As you say given the different way RWC returnees are managed (and Ireland were still there when we were out), it isn't a proper comparison. However 6 of Leinster's U25 were front row players - didn't exactly go well for them; cost them the game really . They were not as a collective ready for this level, individually I'd say maybe only one was (if surrounded by better quality/experience). That is what happens when you push lads too soon.

Players get promoted when good enough, always been the same. An good Irish example being one J Sexton. As a 21 year old, he appeared in one game for Leinster. At 22, 3 games. Not capped by Ireland until 24. Players mature at different rates

Yep, agree with most of that. I'm not sure there is any fault at Glasgow's end. I still think there is an issue though in how long it takes our youngsters to come through, and I think this is mainly because they arrive into professional rugby, whether that is at academy level or straight into pro teams, less developed (rugby wise but maybe also physically) than in other top countries. Players develop at their own rate, and some will always be late developers, but in the backs at least I think we could be better at developing youngsters so that they are ready to contribute as backups earlier.

I'd also say, if you ignore the front row u25s that still leaves Leinster with 7 to Glasgow's 4 (and Leinster's 7 were younger). They didn't do badly considering.

[Big D]

Steyn out with an ankle op.

[Donny osmond]

Beating the Stormers is a good result, altho I'm guessing they also didn't have their international players back. Shame not to get a BP tho.

[septic 9]

Beating the Stormers is a good result, altho I'm guessing they also didn't have their international players back. Shame not to get a BP tho.

yup, Stormers did not have RWC players back. Still had a quota of experienced (some capped) top players, like Roos and Dweba. Roos was a sensation in the boks 1st season in the URC, a big ball carrier with serious acceleration and pace. Warriors handled him really well. he is also a dickhead and got a yellow which could easily have been a red then proceeded to berate the ref. Dweba followed him off with another yellow less than a minute later. Both were tip tackles, Roos's one on a man without the ball. Warriors had to defend a lot, which they did heroically. Its a good resut after last week's shambles

[BaldiePete]

Interview with Josh Mackay on an NZ news site. Apparently the weather in Glasgow is shit.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/301 ... -his-prime

[Donny osmond]

Anywhere else the concept of Glasgow weather being shit represents the slowest of slow news days. In NZ its probably caused the news anchors to climax with excitement.

[Cameo]

I see Cole Forves is in the just announced Blues squad I'm NZ. I hadn't realised he had left! Strange spell in Scotland. Looked.very good at the beginning but never really came to anything.

[septic 9]

Ali Price on loan for the season to Edinburgh. Ridiculous SRU intervention again. Stinks

[Mikey Brown]

Well that's an odd one.

[switchskier]

It makes sense if Smith views Price as third choice and there is an option to recall him if Horne or Dobie picks up an injury. Or if he asked to move to guarantee ganetinevto get his Scotland jersey back. But I'd be fuming if I was a Glasgow fan and he's been moved to force Smith to give Dobbie and Ashfar gametime.

Instantly the best scrumhalf that Edinburgh have had for ages though.

[septic 9]

It makes sense if Smith views Price as third choice and there is an option to recall him if Horne or Dobie picks up an injury. Or if he asked to move to guarantee ganetinevto get his Scotland jersey back. But I'd be fuming if I was a Glasgow fan and he's been moved to force Smith to give Dobbie and Ashfar gametime.

Instantly the best scrumhalf that Edinburgh have had for ages though.

The move followed an approach from the national team and Edinburgh rugby. (TBF Price is said feel the opportunity would benefit his personal development, but it reads like spin added).

Glasgow are one injury from one proven scrum half now. Edinburgh should have Steele back before too long, Shiel (who played well last week) and club captain Vellacott. On paper SRU have basically yet again robbed Glasgow's success to reward Edinburgh's failure to develop a scrum half of any real quality; even Vellacott is not really quality despite being made captain and no doubt paid shed loads to come up here

[Big D]

There's definitely spin there either from Edinburgh's end or Price's. Players only suddenly move between Edinburgh and Glasgow in this way if there is an issue. There are probably four realistic scenarios:
1. Steele's injury is worse than they are letting on and "returning to training" doesn't mean close to playing and Vellacott's personal issue requires a leave of absence. I have seen stories his young child is very ill, I really hope that is bollocks.

2. Price had an issue with Smith over something like playing time. This seems very unlikely.

3. The SRU have decided under direction from GT to parachute Price in over a co-captain after 3 league games without doing it straight from the RWC or making the move rather than signing Steele. Would be typical SRU nonsense given 9 hasn't been a major issue so far.

4. Price has been told he isn't getting a new deal, or told the SRU he isn't wanting a new deal and this have been made as a short term fix as Edinburgh may offer him a deal. Glasgow said "Glasgow Warriors thanks Ali Price for his service over the past ten years" which doesn't sound like they are in a hurry to keep him.

There more to this than will ever publicly be said and the statement is protecting someone.

[Cameo]

From a Scotland point of view, I don't mind this. Price, Horne and Dobie should all end up with more gametime.

From an Edinburgh point of view, this is great (but does raise questions about what on earth has been going on).

From a Glasgow point of view, you can't argue it will make them stronger this season unless there is something we don't know about like an opportunity to bring someone in if they can offload a high earner.