New Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith is grateful to FOSROC Super 6 champions Ayrshire Bulls for ensuring his first game in charge goes ahead in the Highlands on Friday.
The Scotstoun pros will take on the Bulls after cash-crisis English top-table club Worcester Warriors pulled out of the trip.
The disappointment of Worcester calling off on a week where their players had not been paid was soothed by the swift announcement that Bulls rearranged their schedule to provide a decent level of opposition.
The original clash of the Scottish and England pro Warrior teams was a nod to Highland Rugby Club’s centenary celebrations.
However, an outstanding tax bill and other ongoing serious financial worries made it a commitment too far for the troubled club right now as players reportedly weigh up other options.
Glasgow were well on the way up the A9 on Wednesday when Worcester confirmed their call-off, but the Scotstoun club fulfilled commitments to carry out an open training session at Highland’s Canal Park on Thursday.
They also trained with Highland on Wednesday night as well as getting involved in the Strathspey touch rugby at Aviemore.
Smith excited to get first game on
Skills in the sun 🌞
Brilliant to see the boys also head down to @HighlandRFC to join in with Wednesday night training – some top class rugby on show! 😃 pic.twitter.com/9My5Hmkt1U
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) September 1, 2022
Former Italy coach Smith, who replaced Danny Wilson in the hot-seat this summer, is sure his men will make best use of the reshuffled fixture in the Highlands.
He said: “It was very important to get this game on and I’m really appreciative to Ayr Bulls for coming up.
“From a spectators’ point of view it’s disappointing (that Worcester are not the opponents), but from a rugby point of view I am still really excited to be going out there on Friday night.
“Worcester would have been important for us, but the reasons for them not coming are something we couldn’t avoid.
“It would have been a real challenge straight up, but we still have to work on our objectives in this game, so at least we have another opponent to try it against.”
Smith understands Worcester call-off
When asked whether Worcester had kept Glasgow up to speed about their plans to call off, Smith explained the decision came more from their concerned players.
He said: “We were very much informed, but unfortunately the messages we got from them is we expected them to play until late Wednesday morning.
“I think it was the players more than the club that changed their minds about being involved, understandably.
“They are professional players risking injury without having certainty of what’s going to happen next. It was unavoidable.”
Warriors have announced their squad for the game and the starters are – 1 – Nathan McBeth, 2 – Johnny Matthews, 3 – Simon Berghan, 4 – Lewis Bean, 5 – Richie Gray, 6 – Sintu Manjezi, 7 – Thomas Gordon, 8 – Sione Vailanu, 9 – George Horne, 10 – Domingo Miotti, 11 – Kyle Steyn (c), 12 – Tom Jordan, 13 – Stafford McDowall, 14 – Walter Fifita, 15 – Coles Forbes.
New club captain Kyle Steyn will lead out his team for the first time, while Tongan international Sione Vailanu comes in for his first Warriors match, with 2013 British and Irish Lion Richie Gray the most experienced of the group.
An all-international half-back partnership has scrum-half George Horne alongside Argentinian fly-half Domingo Miotti.
Manjezi fit and ready for club debut
Meanwhile, South African forward – and new recruit – Sintu Manjezi is injury-free and ready to shine wearing the number six shirt on his debut.
Manjezi, 27, was signed by Wilson, but a nightmare end to last season for the Warriors saw the Glasgow head coach replaced by former Italy boss Smith.
Having made the switch to Scotland from the Bulls of Pretoria, he’s settling in nicely and already knows Smith, who he played for at the Cheetahs in 2018-19.
A serious cruciate ligament injury suffered in January 2021 restricted him to just three games last term, but he’s pushed through pre-season with no ill-effects and is thrilled to be reunited with Smith as Glasgow look to hit the ground running.
Manjezi and his new team-mates have had several weeks of working with Smith and the player cannot wait to get into action.
He said: “He’s a very hard coach, a very determined coach. He brings the best out of players as he’s right on the detail and expects you to be on your detail too.
“The sessions have been tough, and we’ve been a bit flustered – but when the boys come together, and we get the detail right, I think his structures can come out.
Glasgow Warriors Arrange New Opponents – Game On!!https://t.co/8yp27Mlu21 pic.twitter.com/S4CHxFDAke
— Highland Rugby Club 🦅 (@HighlandRFC) September 1, 2022
“It’s good to have worked with a coach before and to have that relationship. He knows my abilities and things like that from the Cheetahs. But I also know how hard he can be on me. So, it’s a win-win kind of situation.”
Shaping up for looming URC kick-off
Last season, Glasgow finished eighth in the URC and were crushed in their URC Championship quarter-final, 76-14 against Leinster.
Next Friday, the Warriors host Ulster in another warm-up game at Scotstoun before their United Rugby Championship (URC) charge starts in Italy on September 16 against Benetton.
*** The match ball for Friday’s game will be delivered by a Highland rugby legend, Colin Baillie MBE.
Baillie has received the freedom of Inverness and an MBE for his dedication for teaching rugby and sport in the Highlands.
He is known for his passion and enthusiasm and as well as his persistence and never-give-up attitude.
Here is the @GlasgowWarriors line-up for face @AyrshireBulls at @ICTFC tomorrow… https://t.co/55Me5EobUs
— Paul Chalk (@PaulChalk4) September 1, 2022