The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Selection is hardest part of job for Blair
Mike Blair has explained how Edinburgh’s blistering form this season has made team selection such a difficult task.
The head coach feels spoiled for choice because of the way his players have been performing during a campaign in which they are now top of the United Rugby Championship.
Blair admits he had plenty to ponder before picking his XV for today’s European Challenge Cup clash away to London Irish.
He told Edinburgh’s website: “Selection has been one of the hardest parts of the job so far because players are training well and putting their hands up but guys are performing on the pitch as well.
“We’ve spent a lot of time selecting this side and we believe we’ve got a team that can go out there and challenge London Irish.”
Blair has made four changes to the side that started the bonus-point victory over Cardiff last weekend, with Matt Currie, Adam McBurney, Boan Venter and Nick Haining replacing Mark Bennett, Stuart McInally, Pierre Schoeman and Hamish Watson.
The head coach is hoping they can maintain their fine form at the Brentford Community Stadium.
He said: “We were really pleased with the performance against Cardiff.
“We left a couple of opportunities out there but we really enjoyed the intent and the physicality.
“Both are important parts of our game and we’ve been building on them in training to bring into this weekend’s game.
“I love the way London Irish play. They move the ball around a lot and are really innovative with what they’re trying to do, with their set plays and scrum play. I think it’ll be an excellent game.”
Glasgow coach Danny Wilson meanwhile has challenged his side to rise to the occasion as they bid to complete a stunning
Champions Cup double over Exeter at Sandy Park today.
The Warriors pulled off a brilliant 22-7 win over the Chiefs at Scotstoun the week before Christmas.
However, Wilson knows his team will have to be fully focused if they are to have any chance of a repeat result.
He told Glasgow’s website: “After a good result on the weekend (against Ospreys) and a good week’s training, we are really looking forward to resuming our European campaign.
“After a good performance at home against Exeter, we know we’ll need to go up another level to beat them at Sandy Park.”
Wilson has made just one change to the team that claimed a bonus-point victory over the Ospreys last weekend, with Jack Dempsey returning to the back row.
Ryan Wilson, meanwhile, could become only the second player in Glasgow’s history to make 200 professional appearances if he gets off the substitutes’ bench.
Danny Wilson added: “There is an added motivation with Ryan being involved in his 200th game for the club. It’s a massive milestone and something we have talked about a lot this week.”
Glasgow wing Cole Forbes is relishing playing in front of supporters at Sandy Park after his team had to play their match against the Ospreys behind closed doors due to the crowd restrictions imposed for three weeks by the Scottish Government in a bid to slow the latest wave of Covid-19.
Forbes said: “It was a bit of a shock against Ospreys because you could hear everything in the stadium and you kind of have to build your own energy.
“A crowd makes a bigger difference than you realise, so it will be good to have fans in the stadium at Exeter and hopefully there will be a few away supporters to give it a bit of an edge.”