FRANC WORDS FOR WARRIORS
OSPREYS v WARRIORS TODAY, 3.05PM
GLASGOW coach Franco Smith has called on his Warriors to shake off their away-day blues against the Ospreys in Swansea today.
And he’s urging them to forget who they are going up against because they just need to focus on playing their own game.
Smith’s side were sensational last week at Scotstoun, running in eight tries as they crushed Cardiff 52-24. But that came a week after a 33-11 defeat at Benetton in round one of the URC.
The pattern was the same last season, as the Warriors would bounce back from a dismal defeat on the road to win big at home. But Smith knows that inconsistency has to go if his team are going to become league challengers.
He said: “The players set the standard the week before. So we must not be affected by who the game is against and where it’s taking place.
“Sometimes there’s too much emphasis on where we’re playing and who we’re playing against. The emphasis from now is absolutely on what we do.”
Scotland and Lions scrum-half Ali Price will captain Glasgow on his first start of the season, while Smith has made four other changes to the team that began the game against Cardiff.
In the back row, Tom Jordan comes in for Rory Darge, who faces several months on the sidelines after injuring an ankle, and Gregor Brown replaces Matt Fagerson, who took a rib knock in training.
Rufus McLean is on the left wing instead of injured club captain Kyle Steyn.