Long in the youth
Gaffer Wilson wants to turn kids into Warriors
DANNY WILSON has challenged the kids to kick-start Glasgow Warriors’ season.
The coach named two teenagers and four 21-year-olds in his starting XV for this afternoon’s away clash against fellow Pro14 strugglers Zebre. Warriors have managed just three wins from 12 league games, and Wilson has turned his attention towards building towards next season. He said: “There is plenty of youth there and we have stuck to that statement of intent to get younger players through.
“This season is about utilising the situation we are in to make sure we look at those young boys.
“That will have its ups and downs but we have seen some real positives recently, and hopefully we can carry that on against Zebre. There is experience in there as well and we are fortunate at the moment with Oli Kebble and Rob Harley being available to play for us this week.”
Gregor Brown, 19, will make his first start for the club at blindside flanker after an impressive debut off the bench during last weekend’s loss to Leinster.
Wilson said: “He earned his chance because he stood out and put down a real marker.”
The other 19-year-old in the side is scrum-half Jamie Dobie, who is slightly more experienced with 16 appearances to his name.
Dobie has already trained with the senior Scotland squad but Wilson warned against expecting too much too soon.
He said: “Jamie is a really exciting threat with his evasion, his footwork, his speed and his strength.”
Leone Nakarawa isn’t fully fit so he’s on the bench. Richie Gray is out with concussion.
ROBOT linesmen could soon be used in a shake-up of offside decisions.
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, now FIFA’s global development chief, made a presentation to lawmakers IFAB about changing offside so if any part of the body is level then a player is onside.
It’s hoped it will make the game more attacking, produce more goals and fewer offside decisions, with plans also to introduce automated technology to help linesmen.
A similar system to goalline technology will be trialled in China that will instantly tell linesmen if a player was offside in the hope of cutting VAR delays.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “We all want to see more goals and excitement but I don’t know whether it will work or produce that, which is the point about a trial.
“The linesman would get a signal to them if they are onside or offside and they’d have to decide if they’re interfering with play.
“It’s frustrating for the fans in the stadium to have to wait for decisions so we are all fully behind the trial.”