The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Rennie says cup decider will be brutal encounter
Warriors coach stresses much is at stake in 1872 decider
Glasgow head coach Dave Rennie insists there will be no let-up in the 1872 Cup decider on Saturday.
The Warriors head to BT Murrayfield this weekend looking to clinch the cup and deal a significant blow to Edinburgh’s European aspirations.
Richard Cockerill’s men need just a point to secure a play-off place in the Guinness Pro14 – for which Glasgow have already qualified – and a spot in next season’s Champions Cup, but Ulster are hot on their heels after a resounding win over Glasgow last week.
That defeat was a third in five games for the Warriors, who have showed signs of slipping from their usual high standards having started the season so well.
Rennie, although he admitted his side may have become complacent in recent weeks, insists there will be a lot riding on the weekend.
“We have to throw the first punch, so to speak,” said the New Zealander, whose side hold the 1872 Cup after winning the previous encounter 17-0.
“We know they are desperate, but it’s a big game for both sides. There is a cup at stake with a lot of history and that means a lot to both sides.
“There are lots of motivating factors.” Saturday’s game against Edinburgh takes on an added significance to the hosts, with Cockerill hoping to secure a top-three finish in his first season in charge, which would represent a fine achievement.
The clash will see many international team-mates go head-to-head, but Rennie does not expect that to contribute to a more subdued atmosphere.
He said: “I would be disappointed if it was a friendly rivalry.
“A lot of these guys play together and are good mates but, whatever goes on before that, you put that to one side.
“I think they (Edinburgh) will have the same attitude.
“It will be a brutal game and hopefully skill-sets match that.”
On their recent form, which included that 36-15 defeat in Ulster at the weekend, Rennie added: You always question whether in the back of our mind, because we’ve already qualified for the semi-final, maybe we weren’t as desperate as we would have been if it were a knockout game.
“But they are professional athletes and you expect them to perform every time.
“It’s a tonic we need heading into a big game this weekend against an Edinburgh side who will be up for a fight as well.”
● Champions Cup finalists Leinster and Racing 92 dominate the five-strong shortlist for the 2018 European Player of the Year award.
Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong and Scott Fardy complete the representation from Stuart Lancaster’s men, who are favourites to win the showpiece in Bilbao on May 12.
Racing scrum-half Maxime Machenaud and lock Leone Nakarawa are the other two players in contention to claim an award that is held by Owen Farrell of Saracens and is decided by a public vote.