Adventurous rugby in store at Scotstoun while Edinburgh will face a tough test
Commentary Allan Massie
Everyone knows how important it is to make a good start in European Cup competitions. Edinburgh managed that last week; Glasgow didn’t. Edinburgh have recently been a better cup side than league one.
I suppose their comfortable win over London Irish will have pleased Richard Cockerill, though he will recognise that it was somewhat devalued by their opponents’ decision to field a team that was some way below strength. It’s understandable that London Irish, down at the foot of the Aviva Premiership table, already have the avoidance of relegation as their main aim. Nevertheless, if you take part in a cup competition, it’s a bit insulting not to field the strongest side you have available; it suggests you aren’t taking the cups seriously..
This isn’t a charge that can be levied against Edinburgh’s opponents today. Krasny Yar may not be a club many of us have heard of, but they beat Stade Francais last week. Russian rugby is coming on fast, and if Edinburgh return from Moscow with a couple of points, they will have done very well indeed.
If the first weekend is important, the second one is vital if you have already suffered a defeat. Glasgow ran the English champions Exeter very close down in Devon last week, but came away without even a losing bonus point. So if they don’t beat Leinster at Scotstoun, their hope of reaching the knockout stage will already look forlorn.
That said, they can take encouragement from the reflection that they were in with a good chance of winning at Exeter until the last few minutes of the match, without being at their best.
They were out-muscled in the end, Exeter being as good as any team in Europe close
“Leinster will certainly seek to dominate in the set scrum, and will be well aware that Glasgow’s young frontrow is not – yet anyway – among the more formidable, and given to concedingtoomany penalties”
to the opposition’s try-line, and, with the supply of good ball drying up, Glasgow’s