Let Glasgow Flourish

SHOULD GLASGOW flourish in today's BKT United Rugby Championship Grand Final in Pretoria, it will surpass any previous Scottish rugby victory – at least in the Open Era.

Winning at Loftus Versfeld is not impossible, but, whether the home team )has been Northern Transvaal, Blue or Vodacombe Bulls, or South Africa, it has never been easy. Today's game will be no different. The ground is no longer the citadel of white privilege – the Afrikaner Broederbond watching Rugby Union, but, Warriors are entering perhaps the most-hostile atmosphere they will ever face.

I have no concerns about the hostility coming from the spectators getting to Glasgow – Franco Smith is picking on consistency – his experienced side will not let the atmosphere derail them. Four men, however, will really feel the heat from the fans – the third team on the park: the match officials.

Scotland's Sam Grove-White copped a ridiculous amount of social media criticism for his performance as referee in Bulls' semi-final win over Leinster. This criticism came mainly from South African fans – whose team, we must remember won. Some of the daft abuse aimed at Sam was at Rangers/Celtic level of entitlement. The lunatic majority among the fans of these two clubs demand they get every decision, so too do the regulars at Loftus.

That's the pressure Andrea Piardi, Frank Murphy, Craig Evans and TMO Matteo Liperini (closeted in the TV truck with a bunch of Saffers) will have to endure. Piardi, was veering towards bowing to spectator influence in Warriors's semi-final in Limerick, until Kyle Steyn had a word in his ear, to remind him there were two sides infringing. I think Mr Piardi has learned his lesson and will give Warriors a fair crack of the whip today. However, Steyn's diplomatic skills might be required again.

The Bulls players will stretch the boundaries of the Laws as far as they can, it's the Saffer way, but, the likes of the Fagerson Brothers showed in their semi-final, they were up for tackling the shithousery of the ultimate shithouse – Peter O'Mahony. They will be ready for round two today.

The game is played and won or lost on grass, but, on paper, the Bulls appear to hold the advantages:

• They are at home

• They are more-used to playing at altitude

• They will have the backing of the vast bulk of the crowd

• Bulls will field six members of the URC Dream Team, against Warriors' two

• They finished above Warriors in the regular season

• They beat Warriors, on this ground, just a few weeks ago

These perceived advantages will not phase Warriors. We Scots like nothing more than being written-off prior to big games. “Ye've nae chance” has long been a rallying “Haud ma beer” moment to your average Scottish player, and the Warriors' squad, whether born and bred Weegies or imports will be ready to battle for the magnificent URC trophy.

Forget all the hype, at the end of the day it's just another rugby match and the realities of the game will hold sway. The forwards will decide who wins it, the backs by how much. Received wisdom has it, Bulls are the better scrummagers, Warriors better at the touchlines, so it could come down to which pack wins the breakdown battle – and here Warriors just might have the edge.

Both sides have game-breakers in theirr back line, but, the fact Warriors will probably be the fitter side could prove crucial. If they can stay in-touch, or have their noses in front, going into the final quarter, I can see Warriors being able to cut loose and perhaps win by one or two scores.

I don't expect a tries fest, but, I do believe, Warriors can win. The teams for the match are:

Vodacom Bulls: Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Marco Van Staden, Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom; Embrose Papier, Johan Goosen; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Harold Vorster, David Kriel, Sergeal Petersen, Devon Williams,

Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Chris Smith, Cornel Smit.

Glasgow Warriors: Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson , Scott Cummings, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey; George Horne, Tom Jordan; Kytle Steyn (CAPT), Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Sebastian Cancelliere, Josh McKay.

Replacements: George Turner, Nathan McBeth, Oli Kebble, Max Williamson, Euan Ferrie, Henco Venter, Jamie Dobie, Duncan Weir.

Interestingly, in the one change from the semi-final line-up, Franco Smith has recalled Dunky Weir for this one. A long-range penalty, in the final minute, in the rarified air of Pretoria, to win the title – isn't that potential scenario tailor-made for the wee man?

Bulls have lost Willie Le Roux to injury, but welcome back another superstar in Kurt-Lee Arendse. Realistically, the odds are stacked against Warriors, but, you write-off this team at your peril; they just might be the first half of a brilliant Carlsberg Weekend for us Scots.