O’Halloran: Glasgow must learn to balance aggression and skills

GLASGOW are getting closer to the standard they need to reach before they take on Saracens in the Champions Cup in a fortnight but need to learn how to calm down and get their skills right.

So says Jason O’Halloran, the backs coach, who saw plenty in the match against the Dragons at the weekend to encourage him.

It was a case of over-compensating for the lethargic performance in South Africa.

“It is a little bit to do with not having played well the week before and wanting to take the game on,” O’Halloran said. “Rugby is really a balance between having the right physicality and aggression.

“We need to find that balance between being really psyched and physical and having those little intricate skills.”

Glasgow get the chance to show they have learned how to balance aggression and control this weekend against Zebre before facing Saracens, a team that ahve not only won all five of their matches in the English Premiership but have taken bonus points from each one.

“We realise we need to try to carry some momentum into European competition. There is a chance to do that [against Zebre],” O’Halloran added.

O’Halloran knows Zebre are not the walk-over they have often been in the past but they have yet to win away from home this season and conceded 68 points the last time they visited Scotstoun.

“They will bring a lot of heat in defence, a lot of line speed,” he predicted. “They are very dangerous, a really good offloading side.

“Number one is to pressure their set-piece defensively and try to get our shape really quickly in attack, so that we can attack them both sides of the ruck, while showing the same levels of energy.

“While the Dragons did not have that much ambition to play off the ball we gave them, Zebre certainly will.”