Chiefs.. meet my bench stormers
Wilson plans to blow away Exeter with help from the sides
DANNY WILSON plans to blow Exeter Chiefs away with a bench clearance during the second half of tonight’s Champions Cup clash at Sandy Park.
The Glasgow Warriors boss has selected an experienced set of replacements for the match, including club co-captain Ryan Wilson, who is poised to make his 200th appearance for the side.
Fellow Scotland internationals Fraser Brown, Oli Kebble, George Horne and Duncan Weir, plus Argentinean pair Enrique Pieretto and Sebastian Cancelliere, will also look to make an impact for the visitors.
Wilson said: “In tight games you need some leadership to come off the bench.
“The most pressured situations and decisions came in the latter stages of these matches.
“We only got away from Exeter at home before
Christmas because we scored a seven-pointer right at the end of the game.
“Until then it was actually extremely tight.
“So bringing on those guys from the bench, who can bring leadership and experience could be vital if the game is as tight as we presume it will be.”
Ryan Wilson played a crucial role for Warriors in their bonuspoint home win over Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship last weekend.
He is set to become only the second player ever – behind Rob Harley – to make 200 appearances for the club.
However, he missed out on the starting XV this week because Jack Dempsey has come straight in at No.8 after being unavailable for the Ospreys match.
Wilson acknowledged that it was a bitter pill for his namesake to swallow – but commended the player for taking it on the chin.
He said: “It was a tough decision but we know Ryan will bring an impact off the bench.
“Ryan’s been brilliant this week – his response when I was explaining to him he’d be on the bench for his 200th game was the mark of the man.
“Look, he obviously really wanted to start the game and he always believes he should start, and that’s what you want from your players.
“But he also said, ‘I’m about what’s best for Glasgow and giving us the best opportunity to win the game and beat Exeter away’.
“Even though he’s not been selected, it’s what’s best for the team, and he’ll get behind the team.
“I’m pretty certain he’s going to get some game-time and achieve that goal of 200 appearances because he wouldn’t be on the bench otherwise.
“We want to use our bench and it’s very rare that somebody doesn’t get on and Ryan is someone who will have an impact for us.”
Apart from that, there are no other changes in the Warriors side this week.
But Wilson has warned his players that they can’t rest on their laurels.
They will have to produce their best performance of his time at the club if they want to make it two from two versus the Chiefs this season.
He added: “Last month was a real milestone win for us – to take a big scalp against a top side that was fully loaded.
“They’re a brilliant side. Maybe in their eyes they felt they were off their standard and will want to put that right, so I’m sure that will be their motivation. ”
GLASGOW WARRIORS: J McKay; K Steyn, S Tuipulotu, S Johnson, C Forbes; R Thompson, A Price; J Bhatti, G Turner, Z Fagerson, S Cummings, K McDonald, M Fagerson, R Darge, J Dempsey. Replacements: F Brown, O Kebble, E Pieretto, L Bean, R Wilson, G Horne, D Weir, S Cancelliere.