RugbyRebels

Recruitment - how much of that lies with Rennie, I do not know. It is blatant that Glasgow's playing budget is lower than previous seasons. Where has the Hogg, Russell, Naka, etc money gone?

As others have said, very few shrewd signings made with WC in mind have been made. Look at who Glasgow are having to rely on at Hooker as a prime example.

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:Recruitment - how much of that lies with Rennie, I do not know. It is blatant that Glasgow's playing budget is lower than previous seasons. Where has the Hogg, Russell, Naka, etc money gone?

As others have said, very few shrewd signings made with WC in mind have been made. Look at who Glasgow are having to rely on at Hooker as a prime example.

It will be less in effective terms . Dodson was clear that both teams would have that happen to them at the SGM a while ago. They both have pretty much the same budget IIRC.

The money has been reinvested in the squad. Several of the internationals are now on their 2nd or 3rd contracts which often will mean more money.

Big D wrote:

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:Recruitment - how much of that lies with Rennie, I do not know. It is blatant that Glasgow's playing budget is lower than previous seasons. Where has the Hogg, Russell, Naka, etc money gone?

As others have said, very few shrewd signings made with WC in mind have been made. Look at who Glasgow are having to rely on at Hooker as a prime example.

It will be less in effective terms . Dodson was clear that both teams would have that happen to them at the SGM a while ago. They both have pretty much the same budget IIRC.

The money has been reinvested in the squad. Several of the internationals are now on their 2nd or 3rd contracts which often will mean more money.

Plus there's always a cyclical element to team maturation & performance. As guys like Russell and Hogg develop and become so expensive, move on, replaced by kids who then develop... I think weeg fans would have been fine with Hogg being replaced by young up & coming outside back but he hasn't been. They're just rotating between two journeymen - Jackson and Bryce.

I do sympathise though. I wouldn't be surprised if Glasgow are one of the top 2 or 3 PRO14 teams hit the hardest by WC losses. It's partly of their own making though - what's the point in signing a new hooker that you knew full well would be at the WC with Fiji?

In short, it's out of their hands but has been massively exacerbated by awful recruitment.

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:

Big D wrote:

hugh_woatmeigh wrote:Recruitment - how much of that lies with Rennie, I do not know. It is blatant that Glasgow's playing budget is lower than previous seasons. Where has the Hogg, Russell, Naka, etc money gone?

As others have said, very few shrewd signings made with WC in mind have been made. Look at who Glasgow are having to rely on at Hooker as a prime example.

It will be less in effective terms . Dodson was clear that both teams would have that happen to them at the SGM a while ago. They both have pretty much the same budget IIRC.

The money has been reinvested in the squad. Several of the internationals are now on their 2nd or 3rd contracts which often will mean more money.

Plus there's always a cyclical element to team maturation & performance. As guys like Russell and Hogg develop and become so expensive, move on, replaced by kids who then develop... I think weeg fans would have been fine with Hogg being replaced by young up & coming outside back but he hasn't been. They're just rotating between two journeymen - Jackson and Bryce.

I do sympathise though. I wouldn't be surprised if Glasgow are one of the top 2 or 3 PRO14 teams hit the hardest by WC losses. It's partly of their own making though - what's the point in signing a new hooker that you knew full well would be at the WC with Fiji?

In short, it's out of their hands but has been massively exacerbated by awful recruitment.

I think their recruitment has been poor. They have only really added guys who might challenge for the 23 rather than starting 15.

Edinburgh have built a stronger overall squad but Glasgow perhaps the better 1st XV but I think the gap will close this year.

Big D wrote:

Cameo wrote:I don't think the SRU will ever appoint directly from the super 6 to being a head coach of a pro team but the aim should be for coaches to more easily move from their to assistant coach jobs. Then if they do well and are applying for head coach jobs, their time as Super 6 coaches will hopefully count for more than being a prem coach currently.

I'd be intrigued by Blair but (without ever having seen him coach) would fear it's a bit premature. His roles so far seem to have been floating ones rather than having specific responsibility for an area of the game.

O'Halloran would still be my choice although for all I know he is not as highly rated by those he works with. Kenny Murray has taken them a few times when Rennie has been away so must be in with a shout too.

Not saying they would go for the HC role but someone like Cairns or Murchie could be a backs coach to begin with. Cockerill took Lawrie on as an assistant straight out of the prem.

These are now coaches with pro rugby or international experience doing the hard yards to build experience. Hopefully they can show up as good coaches and get a shot at pro rugby somewhere.

and Glasgow took Murray direct from Ayr in the premiership.
These were touted by the SRU as development moves for 2 aspiring coaches. Similar form S6 - to assistant coaches - is a coaching pathway, no more no less. It won't guarantee anything more, like any pathway it affords opportunities to develop, up to the individual to take them

It won't guarantee anything more than moving from a prem club but will hopefully give them experience in a more similar environment. It all depends on the level the S6 reaches but it should be a less stark step up.

I think its been clear for a while that Rennie was moving on, Wales wanted him before they opted for Pivac, Oz and NZ have both expressed an interest, at the same time some big money players have left with no replacement, well thats not surprising that the ARU are keeping a pot of cash away so the next coach can buy players he wants,

On Jones he just hasnt worked out at Glasgow, perhaps Rennie and him dont see eye to eye, perhaps he has struggled with the cold winters of Scotland, whatever things happen, he is still a quality player and the next coach and him will need to decide what to do.

On the SRU strategy, i think it has been a bit confused and while generally its a well run ship certain decisions (when they dont go well) will always feed the trolls, If anything id say the SRU has shown to much loyalty to too many assets but individual decisions within the greater strategy can always look out of place while detrating from what the SRU is trying to do.

The SRU is for me 5 years into a 25 year strategy of fixing mini , and youth rugby, as dicussed in another thread mini rugby is exploding which has led to youth rugby also starting to grow ,this will lead to more senior players playing in another 5 - 8 years, im saying this because we tend to look at every SRU decision tactically without understanding where they were 10 years ago (almost fucked) to where they are now to where they are aiming to be.

Cameo wrote:It won't guarantee anything more than moving from a prem club but will hopefully give them experience in a more similar environment. It all depends on the level the S6 reaches but it should be a less stark step up.

S6 is intended to bridge the gap between amateur and pro rugby. A stepping stone. For players and coaches to develop and move up if good enough and ambitious enough. All part of the plan, in the SRU briefings somewhere

Well here’s one opinion on Rennie’s tenure!

https://www.theoffsideline.com/opinion-warriors-rennie/

Must say I’m a bit surprised at the tone of the article, but it does raise some good points. Where I would say they have kicked on as a club is that they are now consistently in the top of the Pro 14 and have got better in Europe. However, they haven’t won anything or looked like winning anything. I include last year’s pro final in that. I think that’s possibly a mental frailty we also see in the national team - time to hire mental coaches alongside the other new coaches when they inevitably arrive? Maybe make the mental approach part of the interview process?

FWIW, while mental stuff appears to be an issue, I wonder if any players are paying for this type of coaching off their own backs if the SRU are not.

I think that Morrison is a nonsense journalist and I don't see how getting to a final is not looking like winning everything. They are not as good as the very elite of Leinster and Saracens (although I think they probably would have beaten Leinster on a dry day) but they are in the next rung down. That is an achievement and cementing that over a period while bringing in a lot of younger players is an achievement.

I think that people forgot that the other team is trying to win too.

Incidentally, Jones's try the other day was promising. Not spectacular but just the kind of break and finish that he is best at. I really hope he gets a run of starts and justifies it.

Cameo wrote:I think that Morrison is a nonsense journalist and I don't see how getting to a final is not looking like winning everything. They are not as good as the very elite of Leinster and Saracens (although I think they probably would have beaten Leinster on a dry day) but they are in the next rung down. That is an achievement and cementing that over a period while bringing in a lot of younger players is an achievement.

I think that people forgot that the other team is trying to win too.

Incidentally, Jones's try the other day was promising. Not spectacular but just the kind of break and finish that he is best at. I really hope he gets a run of starts and justifies it.

I agree with this.

Glasgow will never be on the level of Saracens or Leinster barring a huge shift in a number of areas - budget, playing numbers, fan interest, stadia, etc, etc, etc...

The fact that they compete against them often enough is a result in itself.

Top of the Moon pretty much bitch slaps Morrison with some actual facts on the Offside Line Twitter post with this article.

Chunks Baws wrote:Top of the Moon pretty much bitch slaps Morrison with some actual facts on the Offside Line Twitter post with this article.

Haha, that is comprehensive!

Team out for this week - sorry not able to post it just now. Lots of big names back. Most interesting bit is 12. Horne 13. Jones. Whatever anyone's view on whether he should have had more chances, I'm sure we would all love it if Jones made himself undroppable over the next few games

I couldn’t find the interaction, please share.

Mikey Brown wrote:I couldn’t find the interaction, please share.

Glasgow Warriors team to play Isuzu Southern Kings in the Guinness PRO14, Friday 1 November, kick-off 7.35pmpm, live on Premier Sports 1. You can follow the game in the Live Match Centre at glasgowwarriors.org. Glasgow Warriors appearances in brackets.

1. Oli Kebble (35)
2. Grant Stewart (28)
3. Zander Fagerson (81)
4. Tim Swinson (130)
5. Kiran McDonald (20)
6. Rob Harley (216)
7. Callum Gibbins (c) (38)
8. Matt Fagerson (52)

9. George Horne (42)
10. Adam Hastings (32)
11. DTH van der Merwe (115)
12. Pete Horne (159)
13. Huw Jones (24)
14. Niko Matawalu (116)
15. Glenn Bryce (23)

16. George Turner (34)
17. Alex Allan (94)
18. D’arcy Rae (65)
19. Andrew Davidson (4)
20. Chris Fusaro (168)
21. Jamie Dobie (4)
22. Stafford McDowall (16)
23. Ratu Tagive (5)

Is that what you mean by "interaction"?

Interesting to see if Tagive gets on. As someone on the Glasgow forum said, they must rate him highly if he has been kept around for so long while only making 5 appearances

JONNY GRAY will have a six-week post World Cup lay-off which means he won’t play in Glasgow Warriors’ opening two European Champions Cup pool matches against Sale Sharks on 16th November and Exeter Chiefs seven days later, as part of a plan to manage the famously hard-working second-row’s load over the next nine months.

“It is cumulative,” explained Warriors head coach Dave Rennie. “He did not play a lot of footie before the World Cup because of injury but he has played a lot for us [in the past]. Looking at it long term from a Scottish perspective, with the Six Nations and a pretty challenging summer tour, he is being managed a little longer.

“He will have six weeks out and I anticipate him being back in time to face Leinster [on 30th November] prior to Europe round three.”

https://www.theoffsideline.com/jonny-gray-rested/

That's probably a good idea. I wonder whether it might be worth telling him he is only going to play half the games this year so it's all about impact.

New 3 year deal for Brown. Will take him through to 33. Makes sense in that he's the best hooker at the club and none of the youngsters seem particularly likely to unseat him. His style of play also fits really well with this Glasgow side. Quite a long contract for someone with his injury though.

Teams are out. A bit of rotation for sale but that's still a strong pack, especially in the backrow. Interesting to see Tagive retained for Glasgow and Seymour locked in at fullback. I wonder who covers?

Glasgow Warriors: Seymour; Tagive, Grigg, Johnson, Van der Merwe; Hastings, G Horne; Kebble, Brown, Z Fagerson, Harley, Cummings, Wilson, Gibbins, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Turner, Allan, Rae, Swinson, Fusaro, Price, P Horne, Steyn.

Sale Sharks: Hammersley; Yarde, Redpath, James, McGuigan; MacGinty, Papier; Harrison, Webber, Cooper-Woolley, Evans, Phillips, J Du Preez, Curry, D Du Preez.

Replacements: Van der Merwe, Morozov, Oosthuizen, Postlethwaite, Ross, Cliff, R Du Preez, Ashton

Not bad so far from Glasgow. Horne playing well.

I’d expect Sale to have at least ten minutes of doing something, so glasgow ought to get a few more points from their domination. Hastings needs to practice his kicking from the tee.

I have decided that Sale are crap and Glasgow failing to get a BP would be a wasted opportunity.

Bugger. I’d take the win now!

Christ. Glasgow were f*cking shite. Reminded me of Scotland in patches during that game - fantastic defence phase after phase only to miss a clanger of a tackle... and lots of pretty huff and puff in attack... only without the points.

The sale that turned up today should have been 5-0'd. Poor result.

Fagerson and Hastings are turning into some players though...

Final point. When is someone going to tell Zander to drop the scrum cap? If I was on the opposing side I'd tell the squad to pull his scrum cap at any opportunity - he'll lose his rag, guaranteed.

To be fair to Z Fagerson he seems to be transformed from the player that struggled to hold the scrum up in the Pro14 at the tail end of last season. There were signs in Japan that he was getting back to form and he has continued that. Match practice after some long layoffs in the last two years is making a difference.

His brother is on fire.

However there is no doubt that the back division is missing the spark of previous years - not surprising given the talent that has moved away and not been replaced.

So Rennie to Oz and Wilson to Weeg at the end of the season.

Would rather Scotland replace Wilson now if possible to let the new forwards coach get going.