Glasgow and Edinburgh Ongoing Banter Thread 26

[Hazel Sapling]

First topic message reminder :

A continuation on previous threads discussing the past, the present and the future of Scottish rugby. A dose a day, keeps optimism away

Halfway through a Covid season and not far from the Rainbow cups, both teams are on the precipice of missing out on the top tier in Europe next year. The Rainbow Cup is a well thought out idea of including sides from South Africa, the home to a new Covid variant that vaccines may not work on, with international travel involving several regions of Europe.

Glasgow Squad

LH: Kebble, Bhatti, Lambert
Hooker: F Brown, Turner, Stewart, Matthews,
TH: Z Fagerson, Berghan, Pieretto, McCallum, McQuillan
Locks: Cummings, R Gray, Harley, McDonald, Bain, Bean
Back Row: Wilson, Gordon, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey, Miller, G Brown

SH: Price, G Horne, Dobie, Kennedy
FH: Weir, Miotti, P Horne, Thompson
Centres: S Johnson, McDowall, Tuipulotu, Grigg, Fergusson
Back Three: McLean, Forbes, McKay, Cancelliere, Tagive, Steyn, O Smith


Edinburgh Squad

LH: Schoeman, Venter, Grahamslaw
Hooker: McInally, Cherry, McBurney, Harrison
TH: Nel, De Bruin, Atalifo, Williams
Locks: Gilchrist, Toolis, Young, Hodgson, Sykes, Phillips
Back Row: Mata, Ritchie, Watson, Bradbury, Crosbie, Haining, Boyle, Kunavula, Muncaster

SH: Pyrgos, Vellacott, Shiel
FH: VDW, Chamberlain, Savala
Centres: Lang, Taylor, Bennett, Dean, Johnstone, Venter, Currie, Hutchison
Back Three: Graham, Kinghorn, Hoyland, Blain, Bofelli, Moyano, Immelman, Owsley


Previous Thread
https://www.606v2.com/t69760-the-glasgow-and-edinburgh-general-chat-discussions-are-limited-to-6-people-before-10pm-to-prevent-the-spread-of-jimboish
https://www.606v2.com/t69555-glasgow-and-edinburgh-ongoing-banter-thread-24-covid-funtimes?highlight=banter
https://www.606v2.com/t69038-glasgow-and-edinburgh-banter-thread-no-23-new-season-new-thread?highlight=banter

[RDW]

Interestingly Cockers has resisted bringing all his Scotland players beck except Graham and VDW. It really is s must win game, but fair play for keeping faith with the shower that last last time.

I wouldn't!

[George Carlin]

SRU are looking for a "Social Media and Digital Manager".

Come on Jimbo, throw your hat in the ring. Time to give something back!!

Jim would be the greatest content provider in SRU history.

Provided that there isn't a practical assessment where he needed to show quick and accurate use of the quote function, that is.

[NeilyBroon]

SRU are looking for a "Social Media and Digital Manager".

Come on Jimbo, throw your hat in the ring. Time to give something back!!

Jim would be the greatest content provider in SRU history.

Provided that there isn't a practical assessment where he needed to show quick and accurate use of the quote function, that is.

I'd love to see a Jimbo live text commentary. I'm not sure I'd understand most of it... Would probably get a bit meta for me.

It would offer a good opportunity to play a game of Jimbingo though.

[RDW]

Not much to report from Jack Dempsey tonight as the Waratahs are getting absolutely horsed, again.

Can see why he's leaving - it's going to be a grim few years for the 'tahs

[bsando]

Good game vs Scarlets!

Gilchrist loves a knock on these days though

[RiscaGame]

Sounds a great game. Wish I had looked at the fixture list and noted the kick off time.

[bsando]

Yeah brilliant weather for running rugby.

[bsando]

What an ending!

Another loss and a bitter blow. Edinburgh are just so blunt at the moment. Lacked a way to score at the end there.

[bsando]

Rather than showing Scarlets huddling around after the match why don't they show some highlights?? Prem sports are totally rubbish.

[jimbopip]

Got to say....
I watched the match hoping to see what it is about VDW which gets him a place in the Scotland 23. I'm no wiser than I was. He never attacks the line, he was totally clueless when Edinburgh were pushing for the late score. I just can't see what he brings that any other basically competent pro wouldn't.

[NeilyBroon]

Got to say....
I watched the match hoping to see what it is about VDW which gets him a place in the Scotland 23. I'm no wiser than I was. He never attacks the line, he was totally clueless when Edinburgh were pushing for the late score. I just can't see what he brings that any other basically competent pro wouldn't.

Plus he's not as wide as he is tall.

[jimbopip]

Yes he's more boerwors than meatball.

[BigGee]

Mark Palmer interview with the Glasgow starting debutante Ollie Smith today v Leinster.

He has quite a back story that none of us were really aware of. I think we would all join in MP's sentiments when we would wish good luck to the lad!


The Scottish rugby bush telegraph has long been alive with chatter about Ollie Smith, a full back or centre who offers power, pace, footwork and brio and has a wise head on his young shoulders.

It was at the 2019 Under-20 World Championship in Argentina that the Prestwick lad announced himself to a wider audience with a glorious two-try display against New Zealand. Smith returned to begin his second year in the Glasgow academy, with then head coach Dave Rennie already keen to up his involvement with the senior squad.

A couple of months later, Smith’s world was turned upside down when Patrick, his older brother, died in a tragic accident. Known universally as ‘Patzo’, the 21-year-old was studying chemical engineering at the University of Edinburgh. During a house party in the city’s Marchmont area, he fell from a third-floor window and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Watching Smith glide his way through last year’s Under-20 Six Nations, you would have had no idea of the terrible burden he was carrying, but in retrospect there was just a hint in the way he briefly pointed to the sky after touching down in the 52-17 win over Wales in Colwyn Bay.

“It’s not something I’d thought about or planned,” says the 20-year-old of the gesture. “It just felt like the right thing to do in the moment. It’s obviously been a tough couple of years, between what happened with Patrick and then Covid, but I try to focus on the here and now and not get bogged down. The support network we have in Prestwick between family and friends has made it a lot easier to deal with, the guys at Glasgow have been great, and there’s comfort in knowing Patrick left a good old legacy.

“There were about 1,500 people at his funeral, which shows what a good guy he was and how many people were affected by what happened. Everyone came together really well.”

There is both pleasure and a source of wistful wondering in the fact the pair had grown closer as they moved from adolescence to adulthood. “We were classic brothers growing up,” says Smith, who played all his formative rugby with Marr before moving to nearby Ayr and won the Under-18 Schools Cup with Strathallan. “We weren’t massively close in those years, maybe because we were very different. Patrick wasn’t a geek, but he did very well at school — a real straight A student. He wasn’t massively sporty: he did like swimming but rugby wasn’t his thing.

“Dad took him along to Marr Minis once and he refused to get out of the car. He moved to Wellington [the Ayr school where he would become head boy] and it was compulsory to play for a couple of years, so he was in the second row for a bit. He grew really early, so he was much bigger than anyone else. He was a cracking player, but he just didn’t want to be there. The last couple of years before he passed away, we were getting to a really nice point. We could be in each other’s company and enjoy it. He was at uni in Edinburgh so I wouldn’t see him as much as before, but when I did it was really nice.”

In a bid to honour his memory and ensure something positive came from such a terrible situation, Patrick’s family launched the Give Blood 4 Good charity, whose campaigning has seen hundreds of people across the world join in. Many of these, like Smith himself, are young people who had never given blood before.

“I’ve got my fourth donation booked in for a couple of weeks from now. It’s really easy and you’re helping save lives,” he says. “Giving blood was massively important to Patrick. He’d been doing it from the very first day he was [legally] able to, his 17th birthday. He was part of the LGBTQ+ community and there are strict rules around blood donation there, which are starting to change, but we really wanted to raise awareness about how easy and important it is to donate, especially among young people. My sister Hanna has driven it, along with a group of her mates. It’s been fantastic to see so many people get involved and remember Patrick through it.”

Smith has impressed the Glasgow coaches with his ability to maintain his focus and his appetite for improvement, especially when the pandemic arrived to make things even more complex. That game against Wales, almost 12 months ago, was his most recent competitive start, but today he makes his first run-on Warriors appearance away to Leinster, days after signing his first professional contract. “Glasgow have been great for me,” says Smith, who shares a flat with Rufus McLean and Tom Lambert, two more exciting Glasgow prospects. “When it all first happened, Dave [Rennie] spent a lot of time speaking to me. They were absolutely fine with letting me do my own thing and coming back when I felt ready.

“With Covid, it’s been difficult for everyone. You’re out of kilter. You’ve just always had to be positive, keeping your mind on that process, knowing you’re going to be involved at some point. You need to be confident in yourself that you’re prepared, so that when the opportunity comes you’re ready to go rather than chasing it.”

Smith grew up supporting the club, and was a regular in the stands at both Firhill and Scotstoun. He and his father, Gavin, were in Belfast for the 2015 final when Glasgow became the first — and so far the only — Scottish side to win a major trophy in the professional era.

“Dad got us some tickets, we jumped on the boat across, finished the game and went straight back to the boat, where we slept on the way back. Dad had managed to find a couple of guys who were driving back up from Stranraer through Prestwick so we jumped in these random guys’ car and headed on up. It was a class day out, something that had never happened to Glasgow before, so it was awesome to experience it.

“Guys like Tommy Seymour, Pete Horne, even George Horne, I watched them all as a kid. It’s pretty cool to now be learning from them. Playing for Glasgow was always something I dreamed of doing. I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else really. Especially at the start of my career, it’s great to be at the club that I support.”

Smith played a lot of outside centre in his school days, but is determined to take root at full back, where Danny Wilson has just added Josh McKay and Cole Forbes, two former New Zealand Under-20 stars. Two former Scotland 15s, Chris Paterson and Peter Murchie, have been helping Smith with work-ons.

“Improving my backfield stuff and kicking has been a massive part of growing my game at Glasgow. There were a couple of seasons where I was going back and forth between the two [positions], but it’s nice to be settled at 15 and feel comfortable there. I now just really want to kick on.”

We will all wish him well.

[bsando]

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/tuipulotu-agrees-glasgow-move

Another Glasgow backline signing (SQ centre replacing the Jones gap I guess).

[BigGee]

Again, sounds a decent signing

DW is doing good business

[EST]

Mark Palmer interview with the Glasgow starting debutante Ollie Smith today v Leinster.

He has quite a back story that none of us were really aware of. I think we would all join in MP's sentiments when we would wish good luck to the lad!


The Scottish rugby bush telegraph has long been alive with chatter about Ollie Smith, a full back or centre who offers power, pace, footwork and brio and has a wise head on his young shoulders.

It was at the 2019 Under-20 World Championship in Argentina that the Prestwick lad announced himself to a wider audience with a glorious two-try display against New Zealand. Smith returned to begin his second year in the Glasgow academy, with then head coach Dave Rennie already keen to up his involvement with the senior squad.

A couple of months later, Smith’s world was turned upside down when Patrick, his older brother, died in a tragic accident. Known universally as ‘Patzo’, the 21-year-old was studying chemical engineering at the University of Edinburgh. During a house party in the city’s Marchmont area, he fell from a third-floor window and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Watching Smith glide his way through last year’s Under-20 Six Nations, you would have had no idea of the terrible burden he was carrying, but in retrospect there was just a hint in the way he briefly pointed to the sky after touching down in the 52-17 win over Wales in Colwyn Bay.

“It’s not something I’d thought about or planned,” says the 20-year-old of the gesture. “It just felt like the right thing to do in the moment. It’s obviously been a tough couple of years, between what happened with Patrick and then Covid, but I try to focus on the here and now and not get bogged down. The support network we have in Prestwick between family and friends has made it a lot easier to deal with, the guys at Glasgow have been great, and there’s comfort in knowing Patrick left a good old legacy.

“There were about 1,500 people at his funeral, which shows what a good guy he was and how many people were affected by what happened. Everyone came together really well.”

There is both pleasure and a source of wistful wondering in the fact the pair had grown closer as they moved from adolescence to adulthood. “We were classic brothers growing up,” says Smith, who played all his formative rugby with Marr before moving to nearby Ayr and won the Under-18 Schools Cup with Strathallan. “We weren’t massively close in those years, maybe because we were very different. Patrick wasn’t a geek, but he did very well at school — a real straight A student. He wasn’t massively sporty: he did like swimming but rugby wasn’t his thing.

“Dad took him along to Marr Minis once and he refused to get out of the car. He moved to Wellington [the Ayr school where he would become head boy] and it was compulsory to play for a couple of years, so he was in the second row for a bit. He grew really early, so he was much bigger than anyone else. He was a cracking player, but he just didn’t want to be there. The last couple of years before he passed away, we were getting to a really nice point. We could be in each other’s company and enjoy it. He was at uni in Edinburgh so I wouldn’t see him as much as before, but when I did it was really nice.”

In a bid to honour his memory and ensure something positive came from such a terrible situation, Patrick’s family launched the Give Blood 4 Good charity, whose campaigning has seen hundreds of people across the world join in. Many of these, like Smith himself, are young people who had never given blood before.

“I’ve got my fourth donation booked in for a couple of weeks from now. It’s really easy and you’re helping save lives,” he says. “Giving blood was massively important to Patrick. He’d been doing it from the very first day he was [legally] able to, his 17th birthday. He was part of the LGBTQ+ community and there are strict rules around blood donation there, which are starting to change, but we really wanted to raise awareness about how easy and important it is to donate, especially among young people. My sister Hanna has driven it, along with a group of her mates. It’s been fantastic to see so many people get involved and remember Patrick through it.”

Smith has impressed the Glasgow coaches with his ability to maintain his focus and his appetite for improvement, especially when the pandemic arrived to make things even more complex. That game against Wales, almost 12 months ago, was his most recent competitive start, but today he makes his first run-on Warriors appearance away to Leinster, days after signing his first professional contract. “Glasgow have been great for me,” says Smith, who shares a flat with Rufus McLean and Tom Lambert, two more exciting Glasgow prospects. “When it all first happened, Dave [Rennie] spent a lot of time speaking to me. They were absolutely fine with letting me do my own thing and coming back when I felt ready.

“With Covid, it’s been difficult for everyone. You’re out of kilter. You’ve just always had to be positive, keeping your mind on that process, knowing you’re going to be involved at some point. You need to be confident in yourself that you’re prepared, so that when the opportunity comes you’re ready to go rather than chasing it.”

Smith grew up supporting the club, and was a regular in the stands at both Firhill and Scotstoun. He and his father, Gavin, were in Belfast for the 2015 final when Glasgow became the first — and so far the only — Scottish side to win a major trophy in the professional era.

“Dad got us some tickets, we jumped on the boat across, finished the game and went straight back to the boat, where we slept on the way back. Dad had managed to find a couple of guys who were driving back up from Stranraer through Prestwick so we jumped in these random guys’ car and headed on up. It was a class day out, something that had never happened to Glasgow before, so it was awesome to experience it.

“Guys like Tommy Seymour, Pete Horne, even George Horne, I watched them all as a kid. It’s pretty cool to now be learning from them. Playing for Glasgow was always something I dreamed of doing. I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else really. Especially at the start of my career, it’s great to be at the club that I support.”

Smith played a lot of outside centre in his school days, but is determined to take root at full back, where Danny Wilson has just added Josh McKay and Cole Forbes, two former New Zealand Under-20 stars. Two former Scotland 15s, Chris Paterson and Peter Murchie, have been helping Smith with work-ons.

“Improving my backfield stuff and kicking has been a massive part of growing my game at Glasgow. There were a couple of seasons where I was going back and forth between the two [positions], but it’s nice to be settled at 15 and feel comfortable there. I now just really want to kick on.”

We will all wish him well.

That really is very sad and puts rugby firmly into perspective. Best of luck to him, i'm looking forward to watching him develop - think he is going to be a brilliant player.

[EST]

Again, sounds a decent signing

DW is doing good business

He certainly is! I like the profile of player he is bringing in - younger blokes with obvious potential and something to prove, none of whom are going to be on mega-bucks. Given our budget constraints, i'd say he his doing really well.

[NeilyBroon]

Seems to be a player in the mould of grigg, albeit with a bit more weight. Could be a very handy squad signing!

[RDW]

If they found out that bloke had a Scottish granny before they contacted him I'm impressed with the Scottish scouting system. Australian born, playing in Japan.... Scottish granny.

He's 5ft 11 so about a foot taller than Grigg!

[jimbopip]

Seems to be a player in the mould of grigg, albeit with a bit more weight. Could be a very handy squad signing!

Meatball sitting on Ollie Kebble's shoulders might have a bit more weight than Nick Griggs at the moment. Might have...but I wouldn't bet on it.
Shona is, apparently, 5' 11" so he's about two foot taller than Griggsy.

I watched Invictus the other evening, talk about mixed emotions  As ever I was totally awestruck and humbled by the things Nelson Mandela did and said. Then I was deeply saddened when I thought of what has happened to South Africa since his demise. Then came the scene where his ANC bodyguards refuse to work with the white Special Branch bodyguards from the old regime because they were the very people who were murdering their ANC brothers not so long ago. Mandela's answer that for healing and reconciliation to happen it must begin with forgiving the people who have done most harm to you is truly moving and profound.

Unfortunately after that I spent the rest of the film looking at those white bodyguards and asking myself, "Which one is Seaman's daddy?"

[RDW]

You know you've been on here too long when you're making the same jokes as Jimbo!

[tigertattie]

You know you've been on here too long when you're making the same jokes as Jimbo!

Be afraid flounder

Be very afraid

[NeilyBroon]

You know you've been on here too long when you're making the same jokes as Jimbo!

You'll be regaling us with tales of RD Jr and speaking in enigmatic witticisms with references very tenuously linked to the original thread subject matter!

When you start nicknaming players based on some obscure reference that goes well beyond even being a pun then we'll know you've reached the point of no return.

[RDW]

Vellacot signs for Edinburgh!

A decent signing - our scrum half stock definitely needed refreshing.

He's not fully kicked on after early career promise but I'm sure Hodge is the right man to unlock it...

[RDW]

Fair play to the SRU - after a slow start it's been one of the better transfer windows in recent years in terms of re-signings and players coming in.

I wonder how much Covid has influenced this, both in terms of persuading existing players to stay and lowering the market value of bringing players in.

[Hazel Sapling]

So trying to keep track

Edinburgh
In: Venter, De Bruin, Young, Vellacott, Lang

Out: Davidson, Berghan, DVDM

So far, would say Edinburgh are about evens (Young for Davidson, De Bruin for Berghan). With Shiel and Vellacott about, it does hint that Pyrgos or Groom is on the way out.

Glasgow
In: Bhatti, Berghan, Bean, Dempsey, Weir, Tuipolotu, Forbes, McKay,

Out: Hastings, H Jones, Nakarawa

Glasgow are getting a refresh though continue to lose star men. I guess the hope is that more fringe internationals will help pull the standard up outside of internationals.

[BigGee]

Vellacott is a good player, very quick.

He would have Scottish caps by now if he hsd committrd s few yesrs back when he was reluctant, ad a lit of young English bsded playrrs sre, to give up his EQ ststus whilst getting estsblished.

If his game management is up to scratch, he will be s vety good addition.

[jimbopip]

There are rumours on the GW Forum that Glaws are trying to sign Aldi Price. I hope he stays, for the present, but with Hornito and the House Elf there would be one very good scrum half twiddling his thumbs every week. Plus Kennedy.
Also, Gee have you hired the Gendarme from Allo Allo to do your typing?

[BigGee]

The old school teacher never goes away!

I think Price will go, but only at the end of his contract next year. He will be looking for a payday and Dobie will be more than ready by then.

What happens with Hornito if he can't nail down the starting position is the interesting proposition.

He is the one who could genuinely do with a move, but has just signed up again.

[Highland Shaun]

Really hoping Ben Valacott can force his way (not my favourite quote btw lol) into Scotland contention but as we know, we have good depth in SH position: Price, Hidalgo-Clyne, Dobie, Steele and possibly Velacott.

Would you guys say hes worthy of a spot in the Autumn Internationals, probably the best time for experimental teams?

[BigGee]

I can see Price and Dobie easily being the clear 1 and 2 by the end of the 6N.

Hornito will come back into contention as well once fit.

Steele is likelt a stop gsp and unfortunately i think SHC ship has sailed.

There us still room for another genuine contender.

[funnyExiledScot]

I wonder what the Vellacott signing means for Pyrgos and Groom. I would assume Shiel will get more time and opportunity, given his age and potential, but we don't need three other options, particularly as neither Groom nor Pyrgos go missing during internationals.

I think Groom is better than Pyrgos, but being NSQ I suspect we end up offloading Groom.

[NeilyBroon]

Beginning to think Horne missed a trick not joining brizzle unless price is moving imminently. He could be left out in the rain despite being a superb player, much like SHC.

Don't know how much credit Price has left but those moments of brilliance and control when Finn left against Wales are enough to keep him in the starting berth probably, although that stupid kick at the end loses a lot of points. To be honest form wise I'd put him well behind Dobie. I don't think we'd have that much of a drop off, it's only the experience that we'd lose out on. Definitely missing wee greig this tourney, it feels like we wouldn't have lost to Wales if he was there to come on at 60 mins and calm things down. His delivery was slow but he brought so much more control.

[tigertattie]

Horne is just a far far better player than price.

That’s just my former forward opinion of scrum half play though.

[RDW]

I wonder what the Vellacott signing means for Pyrgos and Groom. I would assume Shiel will get more time and opportunity, given his age and potential, but we don't need three other options, particularly as neither Groom nor Pyrgos go missing during internationals.

I think Groom is better than Pyrgos, but being NSQ I suspect we end up offloading Groom.

I think we should keep one of them - a good experienced head to have around. With Shiel it would give a good frontline trio, plus there's that young lad kicking about too (Gamble?)

[EST]

Without a change in game plan, the fact that Velacott is lighting quick is a bit null and void - he has to be given the licence to play and I can't see Cockers allowing that...hope he is practicing his box kicks.

[RDW]

I of course meant Dan Nutton - Gamble is a prop!

Great box kick on him though...

[BigGee]

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/warriors-switch-for-miller-and-darge

Darge and Miller move down the M8 to play for Glasgow next season.

Good moves for all parties and at last a good bit of joinned up thinking from the SRU. Darge in particular needs the gametime to develop his obvious potential and we certainly need another quality OS.

Edinburgh still have two very good youngsters in Boyle and Munchester coming through, so they will hopefully get their chance down that end of the motorway.

Glasgow squad coming together very nicely for next season, that looks like most of it in place now.

[bsando]

That is what Glasgow needed. I think both will do well there, Miller has impressed me and he’s quite mobile. Darge seems like he’s going to become a very good player.

Considering how well Brown played against Leinster on his debut the Glasgow rebuild seems to be progressing well.

[EST]

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/warriors-switch-for-miller-and-darge

Darge and Miller move down the M8 to play for Glasgow next season.

Good moves for all parties and at last a good bit of joinned up thinking from the SRU. Darge in particular needs the gametime to develop his obvious potential and we certainly need another quality OS.

Edinburgh still have two very good youngsters in Boyle and Munchester coming through, so they will hopefully get their chance down that end of the motorway.

Glasgow squad coming together very nicely for next season, that looks like most of it in place now.

I'm glad that all parties have come to the obvious and sensible conclusion, Darge especially needs to play and he will be sure to get decent minutes at the Warriors. If you asked me a year ago if I thought Miller would be a good signing, I wouldn't have been that enthusiastic - but he has outplayed Bradbury recently and has looked good at pro 14 level; Dempsey signing and Brown showing potential has reduced our need for ball carriers in the pack, and Millers versatility will come in really handy.

[BigGee]

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/warriors-switch-for-miller-and-darge

Darge and Miller move down the M8 to play for Glasgow next season.

Good moves for all parties and at last a good bit of joinned up thinking from the SRU. Darge in particular needs the gametime to develop his obvious potential and we certainly need another quality OS.

Edinburgh still have two very good youngsters in Boyle and Munchester coming through, so they will hopefully get their chance down that end of the motorway.

Glasgow squad coming together very nicely for next season, that looks like most of it in place now.

I'm glad that all parties have come to the obvious and sensible conclusion, Darge especially needs to play and he will be sure to get decent minutes at the Warriors.  If you asked me a year ago if I thought Miller would be a good signing, I wouldn't have been that enthusiastic - but he has outplayed Bradbury recently and has looked good at pro 14 level;  Dempsey signing and Brown showing potential has reduced our need for ball carriers in the pack, and Millers versatility will come in really handy.  

To be fair, it has not been that hard to have outplayed Bradbury, who just seems to get worse everytime i see him play. That said Miller has been a decent player in his own right and always turns up, something you can't always say about some of the Edinburgh players.

[EST]

https://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/warriors-switch-for-miller-and-darge

Darge and Miller move down the M8 to play for Glasgow next season.

Good moves for all parties and at last a good bit of joinned up thinking from the SRU. Darge in particular needs the gametime to develop his obvious potential and we certainly need another quality OS.

Edinburgh still have two very good youngsters in Boyle and Munchester coming through, so they will hopefully get their chance down that end of the motorway.

Glasgow squad coming together very nicely for next season, that looks like most of it in place now.

I'm glad that all parties have come to the obvious and sensible conclusion, Darge especially needs to play and he will be sure to get decent minutes at the Warriors.  If you asked me a year ago if I thought Miller would be a good signing, I wouldn't have been that enthusiastic - but he has outplayed Bradbury recently and has looked good at pro 14 level;  Dempsey signing and Brown showing potential has reduced our need for ball carriers in the pack, and Millers versatility will come in really handy.  

To be fair, it has not been that hard to have outplayed Bradbury, who just seems to get worse everytime i see him play. That said Miller has been a decent player in his own right and always turns up, something you can't always say about some of the Edinburgh players.

That's true, who knows whats going on with MB just now - all the physical attributes to be a top player but he has not performed in a long time.

Miller does always seem to be 100% committed and will suit how Glasgow look to play - i'm really pretty happy with his signing, think he will prove to be a success.

6. Dempsey - Miller - Brown
7. Gordon - Darge
8. Fagerson - Wilson

There is a lot to like about that group of players, shaping up well for next year - even more so if we can add Flockhart back into the mix.

[RDW]

Good to see common sense has prevailed - absolutely no point these guys being 8/9th choice at Edinburgh when they can be 2nd/3rd choice at Glasgow in their positions.

[Mcsweens]

Haircut has been banned for 3 games - a 50% reduction after he brought the good biscuits.

A mere 10 years ago Rory Lamont was routinely getting away with

[Anglobraveheart]

Haircut has been banned for 3 games - a 50% reduction after he brought the good biscuits.

A mere 10 years ago Rory Lamont was routinely getting away with

As a former full back, the number of times that I was taken out or clattered in the air when claiming a high kick is more than I can remember.
In Hastings and Lamonts cases, they were both jumping to catch the ball, and in both cases, the players that got a boot in the face were nowhere near competing for the ball.
IMO, it is down to the potential tackler to ensure that he gives the jumping catcher the space in the air to safely catch the ball. In both cases there is the potential for the 'tackler' to take the catcher out in the air.
So to sum up, that's tough cookie for the tackler if they get too close. The full back or whoever's the catcher is, should be afforded the space to catch if they have to jump. Neither tackler was realistically going to catch the ball, so it is their choice if they want to take the risk and get too close to the catcher in the air.
That should never have been a red for Hastings. Unless the laws are changed to protect the jumping catcher, then there is going to be the risk of him landing on his head or neck, out of control from a great height if the tackler decides to barge into him if he is still in the air. The catcher has got to be given space and protected.

[BigGee]

Glasgow Warriors team to face Zebre in the Guinness PRO14, Saturday 6 March, kick-off 1pm, live on Premier Sports 2. You can follow the action in our Live Match Centre at glasgowwarriors.org.

1. Oli Kebble (54)
2. Grant Stewart (41)
3. Enrique Pieretto (11)
4. Rob Harley (243)
5. Hamish Bain (5)
6. Gregor Brown (1)
7. Thomas Gordon (29)
8. Ryan Wilson (C) (183)

9. Jamie Dobie (16)
10. Ross Thompson (4)
11. Cole Forbes (1)
12. Sam Johnson (68)
13. Huw Jones (47)
14. Rufus McLean (3)
15. Ollie Smith (2)

16. Johnny Matthews (9)
17. Dylan Evans (1)
18. D’arcy Rae (80)
19. James Scott (1)
20. Leone Nakarawa (75)
21. Sean Kennedy (14)
22. Ian Keatley (0)
23. Nick Grigg (81)

Unavailable for selection: Alex Allan, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson, Chris Fusaro, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Pete Horne, Niko Matawalu, Paddy Kelly, Aki Seiuli, Tommy Seymour, Kyle Steyn.

International duty: Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Ali Price, George Turner.

[BigGee]

Again not a bad side out for Glasgow in Italy this weekend, Toonie has been generous with the players he has released from the squad.

Gregor Brown gets to show us what he can do at BS this time around and earns his first start. Harley into the row to compensate for this.

The backs remain unchaged other than Thompson starting for the suspended Hastings.

The unfit Naka gets to warm the bench, along with the other second row on loan James Scott. Nick Grigg also puts in an appearence, hopefully he will be in slightly better shape than previously as well.

We might see Keatley make his debut from the bench for this one as well.

TJ Ione pays for his rush of blood at the end of the Leinster game by getting dropped as well. Good to see DW trying to get the message over that stupidity or lack of form/fitness will cost you in his sides.

[jimbopip]

Team is up
1.Kebble
2.Stewart
3. Pieretto
4. Big Bad
5. Bean
6.Brown
7.Mullet
8.Batman
9.House Elf
10. Thomson
11. Forbes
12 Johnson
13.Shug
14. Titman
15. Smith
Bench Jonny Matthis, Dylan Evans, The Fugitive, James Scott, FijianFatboy, Kennedy, Heatley, Squiggsy.
That's quite a statement. Lots of youngsters, Brown over Harley at 6, Scott as second row replacement,
9-10 lots of potential.
This is a game we could lose but DW seems to be focusing on getting things in place for next season. The future is looking so bright I may have to wear shades.

[BigGee]

In other news from Scotstoun, Peter Murchie joins the coaching staff permanently. He has been in and around the squad for a whie now anyway it seems.

He will be a skills coach, still not clear who is taking the forwards now, you would presume that DW himself will be doing that for the forseeable.

[Mcsweens]

Haircut has been banned for 3 games - a 50% reduction after he brought the good biscuits.

A mere 10 years ago Rory Lamont was routinely getting away with

As a former full back, the number of times that I was taken out or clattered in the air when claiming a high kick is more than I can remember.
In Hastings and Lamonts cases, they were both jumping to catch the ball, and in both cases, the players that got a boot in the face were nowhere near competing for the ball.
IMO, it is down to the potential tackler to ensure that he gives the jumping catcher the space in the air to safely catch the ball. In both cases there is the potential for the 'tackler' to take the catcher out in the air.  
So to sum up, that's tough cookie for the tackler if they get too close. The full back or whoever's the catcher is, should be afforded the space to catch if they have to jump. Neither tackler was realistically going to catch the ball, so it is their choice if they want to take the risk and get too close to the catcher in the air.  
That should never have been a red for Hastings.  Unless the laws are changed to protect the jumping catcher, then there is going to be the risk of him landing on his head or neck, out of control from a great height if the tackler decides to barge into him if he is still in the air. The catcher has got to be given space and protected.

Thanks for the reply - agree the red for Hastings was harsh but it's the way the game is going. I remember seeing that Lamont clip 10 years ago. Me and most other people just shrugged our shoulders at what was basically a Mortal Kombat move. I think the protection for the jumper which already exists, at least at the elite level, should be balanced with protection for the chaser.

I was a full back too. I was never athletic enough to jump, but I remember vividly the feeling of a kick going up, and wondering if you will take man and ball this time. Scary scary. You can't legislate for allowing "space to jump" really, but you can crack down on tackles in the air, as happens now.

[Sponsored content]