…For Scottish pro-team fans, at any rate. But there is still plenty of rugby to be played in the tournament and some of the teams (Leinster, Scarlets, even Aironi!) so far have shown that there may be something of interest for the neutral to watch. Yes, that’s you now…While Sean Lamont, Simon Danielli, Nikki Walker may all be still in the Heineken Cup, it was the Edinburgh wing contingent that showed their finishing skills at the weekend with a try each from Tim “Wish He Was Shcottish” Visser, Lee Jones and Simon “Malkovich” Webster. Heartening then, ahead of the looming 1872 Cup derby games but although they are talking up their chances of still sneaking into the Amlin Challenge Cup, Edinburgh will have to play far above what we have seen this season to do so. Still the return of Nick De Luca and Simon Webster is adding experience and quality (of a hare-brained sort) to Edinburgh’s squad just in time for the Glasgow matches.
It was strength in depth that proved the undoing of Glasgow last night in Toulouse, as Glasgow clung on grimly in defence until Toulouse emptied their bench and all hope of a gift to the visitors vanished like lost luggage.
Scoring a good try and creating a number of chances that were no more than a final pass off five points, Glasgow were credibly in this match for periods. This despite the appalling preparation they suffered at the hands of BA and Mother Nature and the ire of a wound up Toulouse – town, crowd and team. Yet in a match in which they flirted outrageously with the offside line, it was discipline that cost them as first big Richie Gray (who otherwise had a decent game) and then Jon Welsh were sent to the bin for fighting and scrum offences respectively.
In those periods Toulouse took the chances they were allowed and put the game to bed. Although at crucial times the likes of Medard and Poitrenaud seemed to waltz through the Glasgow defence, for the most part the line held firm and restricted what the silky Toulouse backs were able to conjure. Rob Harley was outstanding in a match where the Glasgow back row often had to be in two or three places at once. Refreshing also to see a Glasgow 10 standing tall in the defensive line and getting his back line moving. But when it came time for the subs and Glasgow saw fit to take Kellock off, the gap was only going to widen. Final score 36-10.
Now safely returned to Scotland (hopefully along with their fans), attention turns to the 1872 Cup over the festive period: chat on that coming soon.
Congratulations are also due to Highland RFC, who were named SRU Club of the month for November, and our very own AD who made it into the Club Select side aka Co-Optimists. Don’t forget there is still plenty of time to enter our competition which has now been beefed up (literally?) with another prize…
