Head coach Gregor Townsend believes Glasgow Warriors are capable of “something special” this season as his team enter the Rabodirect PRO12 campaign as one of the clear favourites for the title.
Narrowly beaten by eventual champions Leinster in Dublin in the play-off semi-finals last year, Townsend’s side were the most exciting to watch in the league and, but for a slow start when the new coaching team were getting their feet under the table, might have won home-field advantage in the play-offs.
Building on that this season comes from a strength in depth that few sides in the league can match, which allows Townsend to be confident for the season opener in front of a sell-out home crowd at Scotstoun against Cardiff tonight despite being without Lions Stuart Hogg, Sean Maitland and Ryan Grant.
Ruiradh Jackson is confined to the bench and Josh Strauss left out due to lack of match practice, but Townsend still feels the experience of last season when the club used so many players will be beneficial.
“We came very close last season,” said the head coach. “We played the winners away from home and pushed them to the wire, and if you look at the stats that day every area except one, discipline, we had the edge over Leinster.
“I believe we’ve got the players to take on the best in the league. It’s winning those big games but it’s also about consistency right throughout the year.
“It will be tough but I believe in this squad, I believe they’re capable of something special. There’s certain positions where we have three players competing for a jersey, some we’ll have four. So players know they’re under pressure to play well.”
The Blues will also be without their Lions, including man of the tour Leigh Halfpenny and captain Sam Warburton, and both sides should benefit with the first showing of the new scrum laws requiring a bind before engagement in European pro rugby.
“I can’t remember the exact figures but there was under 50% of scrums last season that you could actually play off, so many ended up in penalties,” continued Townsend.
“The game shouldn’t be decided by someone not being able to keep his bind or going a fraction of a second too early. So this change takes it back to the days when I played when the scrums were about a pushing contest.
“The dominant team should still be able to put the opposition under pressure and if one dominant team is forcing the other team to scrummage illegally or bring it down then you can still win penalties. There were times last year when we had dominance and we got the rewards for that, so dominant scrums should be rewarded.”
The Warriors will have what might have been their first choice half-back pairing at the start of last season on the bench, but that is because neither Jackson nor Chris Cusiter has had enough game-time, added Townsend.
“Ruaridh has been able to do contact at training and train a fair bit so we’re pleased with his match fitness, but Scott Wight’s been the 10 for the first two pre-season games and done well and Ruaridh will have to take his opportunity when it comes,” said the head coach.
Strauss, a late withdrawl from last week’s final pre-season win over Exeter, will play for Aberdeen Grammar in the club game to build up match-fitness.
“It’s a very strong side,” added Townsend. “The players that have been selected have shown throughout pre-season, whether that’s in training or in the games that they’re on form.
“There are a number of players who are injured or coming back. There’s our our three Lions and there are guys like Jon Welsh and Josh Strauss. There’s also few players just outside the group who provide real competition to the 23 and that’s how it’s going to be throughout the whole season.”
Team: P Murchie; S Lamont, M Bennett, A Dunbar, B McGuigan; S Wight, H Pyrgos; J Yanuyanutawa, P MacArthur, E Kalman; T Swinson, A Kellock (capt); R Harley, C Fusaro, R Vernon.
Replacements: F Brown, G Reid, M Low, T Holmes, J Gray, C Cusiter, R Jackson, T Seymour.