Lions duo are up for the Cup
Lions duo Ali Price and Zander Fagerson have shown real commitment to the cause by volunteering to play for Glasgow Warriors against Dragons to keep their Rainbow Cup hopes alive.
Glasgow head coach Danny Wilson said immediately after they were selected for the British & irish Lions he would not be forcing them to play in the final few games of the season in case they picked up an injury.
They didn’t take part in their win over Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield a fortnight ago and were not expected to be seen against the Dragons or in the final Rainbow Cup game against Leinster.
But with Warriors needing a bonus-point win over Dragons in Cardiff tonight, followed by a victory over the irish outfit, to keep them in the frame to make the Rainbow Cup final they have returned to the fray.
‘Zander and Ali are involved in their own management about when they want to play,’ said Wilson. ‘That’s going to motivate players rather than being told they’ve got to play. They both wanted to play this game and we’ve given them that leeway for the latter end of the season. so it’s off their own bat that they play against the Dragons, which is good.
‘There’s a little bit of a plan in place, without giving too much away, over how long they will play for.
‘First and foremost, we want to win this game and give ourselves an opportunity to go to a final.
‘To do that, we’ve got to win two games to give ourselves a chance because there are a lot of teams in the same boat, but, at the same time, there’s a bigger picture and when you make those kinds of plans and decisions involving certain players you need to stick to them.’
Even being in contention for the Rainbow Cup is a boost for Glasgow, who started the competition with a humiliating defeat to Benetton in italy. They bounced back with home and away derby victories over Edinburgh which showed the character of their team.
‘For me, personally, with Glasgow Warriors qualifying for the European Champions Cup and winning the 1872 Cup there have been some positives to build on but there have also been some negatives, as we know,’ said the Warriors head coach. ‘now we’re in the latter stages of this Rainbow Cup competition, with two games to go, and we’re within a shout of doing something and if we could get to the final that would be brilliant.
‘There is also a bigger picture and as i’ve said right from the start, another part of this season was about blooding younger players and we’ve certainly done that. We’ve got seven players that we’ve blooded who have come through the academy or are young talent who have come into the team which will help the future. There is certainly a long-term project in place and i feel we are making steps in the right direction.’
Wilson has made six changes from his team that beat Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield two weeks ago, with the back three looking particularly exciting. Adam Hastings, who leaves the club in the summer to join Gloucester, starts at full-back with Kyle steyn on one wing and Cole Forbes, who is being groomed to take over as Glasgow full-back once Hastings leaves, on the other.
There is also a return to action for back-row forward Rory Darge and winger Rufus McLean, who starts on the bench, both youngsters that Wilson has high hopes for.
‘We’ve got a few different combinations compared with the last two games against Edinburgh,’ he said. ‘We’ve still got some youngsters in there, the likes of Rory Darge in the back row getting another opportunity.
‘Rufus McLean didn’t play against Edinburgh but he is a player out of the academy who we wanted to expose to games. We all know the talent he had and he’s worked hard to get his opportunity.
‘i think he’s really delivered this season on the wing or full-back and we’re all really excited about him. i see a future for Rufus at Glasgow Warriors and hopefully on to scotland as well.’
Wilson admits his side need a bonus-point win to keep them in contention to top the Rainbow Cup table but has told his players to simply concentrate on getting the win first and foremost.
He added: ‘The mindset is going to the Dragons and winning, but we probably need a bonus point, too.’ Dragons v Glasgow Warriors at Cardiff City Stadium. Kick-off: 7.35pm. LIVE on Premier Sports. Glasgow Warriors: Hastings, Steyn, Grigg, Johnson, Forbes, Thompson, Price; Seiuli, Turner, Z Fagerson, Harley, Cummings, Wilson, Darge, M Fagerson. Replacements: Brown, Lambert, Pieretto, McDonald, Lokotui, Horne, McDowall, McLean.