Gunners’ perfect Gilchristmas gift
RUGBY EDINBURGH v GLASGOW TODAY, 5.10PM Grinch Grant out to steal invincibles’ festive spirit
GRANT GILCHRIST admits the chance to shatter Glasgow’s invincible status is driving the Gunners on ahead of tonight’s 1872 Cup Christmas cracker.
The Edinburgh lineout specialist has been on the losing side more times than he cares to remember when it comes to the festive derbies.
And the fact the Warriors haven’t been beaten in the Pro14 this season offers extra incentive at Murrayfield.
He said: “It is always horrible to taste defeat in these games because they mean so much to us. And this time around beating a team that has a 10 out of 10 winning record in the league would be absolutely amazing.
“That statistic underlines the size of the challenge we face. We’re buoyed by our victory at Scotstoun in the final match of last season – even though it wasn’t enough to earn the 1872 Cup.
“We have been progressing quite nicely over the past couple of months.
“But we understand this weekend it will be a massive step up to compete with the calibre of the opposition.
“Winning in May was my first away success in the inter-city matches and it was good to get that monkey off our backs.
“It took an enormous effort and it was probably our best performance of last season. That’s the kind of level we will need to rise to again.”
While the Gunners have won all four of their European Challenge Cup games, back-to-back defeats to Montpellier mean Glasgow languish bottom of their Champions Cup pool without a win in four. But Gilchrist said: “We’ve played well but not been playing anyone like Montpellier home and away – that’s a whole different kettle of fish.
“We can only speak for us. I don’t think it makes a big difference they’ve lost two games against really highquality opposition.”
The Warriors’ build-up was last night boosted after ex-Gunners hooker Fraser Brown signed a new two-year contract that will keep him at Scotstoun until May 2020.
Brown, hailed “world class” by Glasgow pack coach Jon Humphreys, said: “This club means a great deal to me because they gave me the opportunity to come back into the professional environment.”