Glasgow spent last week in Largs, a seaside town on the Firth of Clyde, preparing for their opening match of the European Champions Cup on Sunday, when they hope to beach Saracens, the continent’s unbeaten form team.
“Saracens will ask a lot of questions and we will find out a bit about ourselves,” Dave Rennie says. “We went to Largs because we wanted to do something different and spend a little more time together.”
The coach’s sentiment is echoed by their Scotland second-row Jonny Gray, who says Glasgow are determined to prove themselves in a tournament that over the years has tended to pass them by. For the second successive season they will kick off their European campaign against the champions of England. A year ago they stalled at Exeter and it was not until the final round, when they welcomed the Chiefs to Scotstoun, that they got their motor running.
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“We have been happy with our league form this season but Europe is a big step up,” Gray says. “You are always going to be in a tough pool facing sides like Saracens who have a number of world-class players but that is exactly what you want. We know we are going to have to be at the top of our game.
“We want to make a mark in Europe. Every game is huge and they often come down to fine margins. Saracens have learned how to be at the best in the early games, making sure they are still alive come the final round. That is what we have to do.”
This is Glasgow’s 20th Champions Cup campaign but they have reached the knockout stage only once, discounting 1997-98 when they lost a quarter-final play-off to Leicester 90-19. Two seasons ago they travelled to Saracens in the last eight and were beaten 38-13, having scored 85 points against Leicester in two pool games. “It was a big day for us and it was heartening to see so many of our supporters at the ground,” Gray says. “We were well beaten but we learned a number of lessons. Consistency is the key in Europe and that means starting well.”
Worryingly Glasgow have won only five of their opening European Cup matches but two of the victories have come in the last four years, against Bath and Leicester. They have become regular contenders for the Pro14 title and were unbeaten at home in the league last season before the play-offs, when the Scarlets triumphed in their semi-final, but they lost to Montpellier and Leinster in Europe before recording a victory in the final round to deny Exeter a place in the last eight.
This season Glasgow have lost only once. The reverse came last month in Port Elizabeth against the weakest team in the league, the Southern Kings, and prompted an indignant reaction from Rennie. “The manner in which we lost was the biggest disappointment,” Gray says. “Despite it, we are in a good place while knowing we have to improve. We are always very hard on ourselves and a great thing about this team is the culture. You have to get that right first and foremost and then the results come.”
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Glasgow lost the fly-half Finn Russell to Racing 92 in the summer while another international, the full-back Stuart Hogg, is out of action until Christmas after an ankle operation. The absences have not affected Glasgow’s approach to the game which remains all-action and Gray, a second-row who acts as an ancillary back-row with his tackling and carrying, is key to their style.
“We are known for our style of play but you have to be able to adapt, especially to the weather,” Gray says. “We have not had Finn this season but Adam Hastings [the son of the former Scotland and Lions captain Gavin] has been outstanding and there is big belief in the side.
“These are exciting times for Scottish rugby. Edinburgh are also in the Champions Cup, Scotland have been doing well and the under-20s and women’s team have picked up some good results.
“What we have to do is take our league form into Europe and complete the next step. We know how tough it will be against Saracens but we are at home and we love representing our city.”
Elsewhere on Sunday, Gloucester welcome the French champions, Castres, in what will be another audition for Danny Cipriani to impress at fly-half in front of Eddie Jones five days before the England coach names his squad for the autumn internationals.
Cardiff Blues travel to Lyon, where they won in last season’s Challenge Cup, and Newcastle are in Toulon without the injured Toby Flood and Vereniki Goneva but the former England prop David Wilson makes his first start forsince April last year.