THAT GLASGOW WARRIORS v Scarlets game in the BKT United Rugby Championship, round seven, was a potential banana skin for the Warriors. You might say they “won ugly”, but Warriors still took a game they might well have lost. An old Rugby Union chestnut says: “Forwards win matches, backs decide by how much.” On the night, the under-strength Warriors' pack stood up to be counted and that has to be a bonus for Franco Smith.
On a typically dreich Scotstoun evening, the match was at times error-strewn, with the Welsh visitors also doing a particularly good job in stifling the attacking verve of the home backs.
From a Glasgow perspective, the pluses came from the strong showing of the young Warriors' locks. Jare Oguntibeju and Alex Samuel. Oguntibeju made one or two early mistakes, but, he grew into the game as it unfolded and finished strongly. Jack Mann made light of his long absence, while the four hookers selection did not unduly hamper Warriors. Ben Afshar had another useful cameo off the bench.
Scarlets blitz defence unsettled the Warriors' back-line all game, although I felt the Welsh side were less-strictly refereed than the home side and could well have had more than the one yellow cards awarded against them.
More worrying for Warriors was the head injury which cost them the services of Adam Hastings, but Dunky Weir came on to use all his great experience to guide Warriors home.
Amazingly, Scarlets maintained their proud record of never having conceded a game to Warriors, at Scotstoun, via a bonus point, further proof of what a crucial victory this might in the long end, turn out to be.
A final thought. I have long believed, with the absence of relegation in the URC, our professional teams should be actively testing young Scottish talent, by playing them in more games. Friday night's win at Scotstoun demonstrated, if our kids are well-coached and trusted, they will meet the test. Let's believe more in home-grown talent.
For sure, if not required by Glasgow in Toulon the next day, quite a few of the younger Warriors will be on Emerging Scotland duty against Italy Under-23s, at The Hive on 14 December.
I DON'T QUITE know what to make of Edinburgh's victory over Benetton Treviso, at The Hive on Saturday night. Perhaps, had I been there, I would know for myself what effect the wind had on proceedings. But certainly in commentary, the big debate was: how many points was it worth?
Edinburgh, with first use of the elements, scored five tries in the firt period, a feat which the visitors matched once they had the use of the wind. At that point, it came down to goal-kicking, with the hosts one conversion up. But, to their credit, Edinburgh rallied and did what the visitors could not do, and score into the wind – grabbing the two tries which in the end proved crucial.
This win may yet be the making of Edinburgh's season. On Friday night, Franco Smith trusted his kids and got a narrow win. Twenty-four hours later, Sean Everitt sent out a fully-loaded team, against an under-strength visiting XV and got the result he wanted.
I don't think you can – courtesy of the conditions – read too-much into this result, so perhaps best to accept the outcome and move on.
Plus points for the Edinburgh Coach: the real Jamie Ritchie has come back over the past couple of weeks, which is great for his club and country. Grant Gilchrist too has had a good Autumn, while a couple of the young guns up front, Marshall Sykes and Ben Muncaster were also impressive.
The club has survived a bit of a crisis and it is looking good for the upcoming European games, let's hope they can build on this win and move forward.
CYNIC THAT I AM, I feel the 2025 Lions Tour has come at a very-good time for Brand Farrell. I get the impression, the Dream Team for the Rugby Football Union would be Andy Farrell as Head Coach, Sean Edwards as Defence Coach with Owen Farrell back as on-field director.
But, for this to happen, Andy has to decide, post-Lions Tour, not to go back to Dublin, Sean has to be shoe-horned out of what must be a good deal with the French Federation and Owen has to call fini after one season in Paris.
I reckon the Lions' Tour has come at a good time for Farrell Senior. On the evidence of Saturday's win over the Australians, one or two of the Irish stalwarts are either at the top of the hill, or have started on the downward slope. The first part of the re-build will fall into the lap of Simon Easterby, standing-in for Farrell, and, if he gets the new guys integrated with at least a Triple Crown, or even better a Six Nations win, it will make it easier to let Farrell go.
THE OTHER big game at the weekend was at Malleny Park, where Currie Chieftains did the other Arnold Clark Premiership clubs a big favour by halting Ayr's seemingly regal progression towards the title.
The pace-setters still have a two-point lead at the top, but, the fact Currie could beat them will galvanise the others and make the rest of the campaign that bit more interesting.
Obviously, as an Ayrshireman, who has worn pink and black in the past, I was disappointed at Ayr losing, but, during a conversation I had with him in the week leading up to the game, one of the Big Beasts of Millbrae admitted that he was worried about the trip to Malleny. He genuinely feared that Currie could halt the Ayr juggernaut, and his fears proved correct.
I have a lot of time for the guys at Currie, I am pleased for them. I am also pleased for everyone at Poynder Park, after Kelso's morale-boosting annexation of the Bill McLaren Shield, which they ripped from Watsonians' grasp at the weekend.
The Premiership is now virtually split into three parts: Ayr, Heriot's, Watsonians and Currie look likely to be contesting the end-of-season play-offs. Melrose, Glasgow Hawks, Hawick and Selkirk appear safe in mid-table, leaving Edinburgh Academical, Kelso, Marr and Musselburgh to fight for the one remaining place in next season's slimmed-down top-flight. Wins such as Saturday's could be the survival boost Kelso will require.
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