Smith out to clip Falcons’ wings on the road to silverware
Ollie Smith made his mark in Europe this season with two late tries in Glasgow Warriors’ home defeat by La Rochelle in the Champions Cup and the young full-back hopes to make his return when the Scotstoun club face Newcastle Falcons in the Challenge Cup on Friday.
The 21-year-old has been missing with an ankle injury but benefited from the club’s free week and now has his sights set on the last-16 tie at Kingston Park. The loss to La Rochelle meant Glasgow dropped out of the elite European competition after the group stage but Smith believes they are capable of going all the way in the Challenge Cup if they can overcome the Tynesiders.
“Newcastle look a big, physical side,” he said. “We played them at Scotstoun in pre-season and the boys who have played them before say Kingston Park is a tough place to go.
“I was speaking to my mate Cammy Henderson at Leicester and was saying that
we were probably going to get Newcastle away, and he said straight away that Kingston Park is a tough place to go.
“But it is a tough competition, so you don’t expect easy games.
“We have talked about this next six to eight weeks being crunch time. Everything is play-off rugby. So, regardless of whether it is the Champions or the Challenge Cup, the goal doesn’t change – we want to win some silverware.
“We don’t want to have this good season of playing some good rugby up at the top of the league, to come away without silverware. So that’s the aim now.”
Injury apart, it’s been a good second half to the season for Smith who was called into the Scotland squad for the Six Nations match with Grand Slam winners France.
Although he didn’t play, he got a taste of what it’s like to train with the national side and it whetted his appetite for more.
“To go into camp was pretty surreal – but I was welcomed in by all the players,” he said.
“You almost feel like a little kid trying to keep up with everyone, but it is a real cool set-up and a good environment.”