BROWN GOING TO NEXT LEVEL
GLASGOW Warriors co-captain Fraser Brown reckons that the United Rugby Championship has the potential to become the best league in the northern hemisphere.
Previously called the PRO14, the competition has been expanded this year to involve four former Super Rugby franchises from South Africa.
It’s due to kick off next weekend and Brown believes it will take the competition to the next level, pushing past the English Premiership and the French Top 14.
The hooker said: “We’ve always had some of the best teams in Europe compete – Leinster, Munster, ourselves and some of the Welsh regions.
“So to now have these south African teams littered with World Cup and Lions series-winning stars is exciting for the whole league.
“To have that level of competition raises the profile and the quality of the rugby every single weekend. I think it is something we have really needed to try to keep that quality-level there week-in and week-out.”
But Brown has promised his Warriors team are ready to cope with step up in standard as they look to challenge for a place in the play-offs for the first time in three years.
He insisted: “We’ve had a good summer with a couple of new signings coming into the squad and the backroom.
“Everyone has fitted in really well.
“It is eight weeks we have been together now with a good couple of hit outs now under our belt.
“So from our point of view we are in a pretty good place.”
Warriors have this weekend off before kicking off their league campaign away to Ulster next Friday.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair has added five Scotland internationals to his starting XV for the capital outfit’s final pre-season match against Benetton at Murrayfield tomorrow.
Darcy Graham, Blair Kinghorn, Stuart McInally, Grant Gilchrist and Jamie Ritchie have all been added to the team following last weekend’s defeat to Newcastle Falcons.