The Kids Get An Early Chance To Impress Coach Rennie

Adam Ashe - will lead a very young Warriors' side

I AM having second thoughts about taking-in tomorrow afternoon's Glasgow Warriors v Northampton Saints pre-season clash at Bridgehaugh, now that I have seen the Glasgow squad.

It is not a case of being unimpressed by Dave Rennie's decision to load his squad with youngsters – I applaud this venture – no, it is because I can visualise things now, as those rugby writers who scorn everything below the PRO14 as unworthy of their talents, ask those of us who have covered the Premiership etc and seen all the kids in action: “Who was that?”

This is an occupational hazard of the sports-writing game, as the so-called big names, taken out of their comfort zone, struggle. It is even worse in football, on the odd occasion when the legendary Lap Top Loyal and the Celtic-Minded are taken away from their normal routine of Celtic Park, Hampden and Ibrox.

Then, your train of thought, your ability to concentrate on the game, is fatally destroyed by having to spoon-feed information to one of the A Team. Being in F Troop was always more fun anyway.

I digress, to Dave Rennie's first Glasgow selection, which is – with their individual number of Glasgow appearances:

15. Rory Hughes (32); 14. Leonardo Sarto (8), 13. Paddy Kelly (1),
12. Sam Johnson (24), 11. Robbie Nairn (0); 10. Adam Hastings (0),
9. George Horne (3); 1. Jamie Bhatti (6), 2. James Malcolm (18), 3. D’arcy Rae (24); 4. Greg Peterson (21), 5. Scott Cummings (17); 6. Matt Fagerson (9), 7. Matt Smith (3), 8. Adam Ashe (39) CAPTAIN.Replacements: 16. Alex Allan (51), 17. Grant Stewart (0), 18. Adam Nicol (1), 19. Brian Alainu’uese (16), 20. Kiran McDonald (0), 21. George Stokes (0), 22. Hamilton Burr (0), 23. Chris Fusaro (126), 24. Lewis Wynne (15); 25. Charlie Shiel (0), 26. Stafford McDowell (0), 27. Lee Jones (54), 28. Robert Beattie (0).

Some interesting talking points there – not least the choice of young Hastings and Horne Minor at half-back, plus a couple of very young flankers. Also, some of the replacements have reportedly earned their places with some outstanding work in training. Smart thinking too by Coach Rennie. He has clearly seen the Scotland players in action – he knows what they can do. This game gives him an early chance to see what his fringe players bring to the table.

Adam Hastings - makes his Warriors' debut tomorrow 

The Northampton team is, on paper, much more-experienced. It is:

15 Ben Foden (capt); 14 Jamie Elliott, 13 Ahsee Tuala, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Tom Collins; 10 Piers Francis, 9 Nic Groom; 1 Campese Ma'afu, 2 Charlie Clare, 3 Jamal Ford-Robinson; 4 David Ribbans, 5 James Craig, 6 Jamie Gibson, 7 Lewis Ludlam, 8 Mitch Eadie.

Replacements: Forwards - Dylan Hartley, Alex Waller, Kieran Brookes, Paul Hill, Michael Paterson, Reece Marshall, Christian Day, Ben Nutley, Teimana Harrison; Backs - Alex Mitchell, James Grayson, Rory Hutchinson, Tom Stephenson, Juan Pablo Estelles, George Furbank, Harry Mallinder.

Let's be nice to Dylan Hartley tomorrow

Never mind, provided we get a chance to hurl abuse at pantomime villain Dylan Hartley, it will not be a wasted day. It will also be good to congratulate former Edinburgh man Piers Francis, who will be making his Saints debut, on winning his first England cap in Argentina over the summer.

BEFORE then, tonight at Meggetland, Edinburgh take-on Shale Sharks in their opening pre-season friendly, their first under Richard Cockerill. The Edinburgh squad is:

15 Glenn Bryce; 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Chris Dean, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Jason Harries; 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; 1 Darryl Marfo, 2 Stuart McInally, 3 Simon Berghan; 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Grant Gilchrist; 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 John Hardie, 8 Cornell Du Preez.

Substitutes: Jason Baggott, Tom Brown, Lewis Carmichael, Neil Cochrane, Luke Crosbie, Ross Dunbar, Jamie Farndale, Cammy Fenton, Dougie Fife, Nathan Fowles, Hugh Fraser, Callum Hunter-Hill, James Johnstone, Blair Kinghorn, Murray McCallum, Fraser McKenzie, Ally Miller, Junior Rasolea.

Cockerill has gone more for the tried and tested, but, his bench is loaded with Sevens specialists and Academy boys. More perhaps a case of him trying to get his core group to gel quickly.

Controversial Sale and England winger Denny Solomona

Sharks Director of Rugby Steve Diamond has named an experienced 30-man group to travel north. The squad is: Mike Haley, Denny Solomona, Will Addison, Sam James, Byron McGuigan, AJ MacGinty, Faf de Klerk, Ross Harrison, Cameron Neild, Will-Griff John, Bryn Evans, Josh Beaumont, Jono Ross, Ben Curry, Josh Strauss, James Flynn, Marc Jones, Jake Pope, Andrei Ostrikov, George Nott, Tom Curry, TJ Ioane, Lawrence Pearce, Will Cliff, Mark Jennings, Jonny Leota, Josh Charnley, Alex Tarus, James O'Connor, Halani Aulika.

The attractions here are the exciting new England wing Denny Solomona and the Curry twins, while Josh Strauss will also feature.