1872 Cup: Glasgow & Edinburgh to compete for URC points and pride
- Published
Glasgow have dominated recent editions of the 1872 Cup
The big week is finally here. Glasgow and Edinburgh will battle for the 1872 Cup in a double header at either end of the M8, starting on Friday night at Scotstoun and finishing on 30 December at Murrayfield.
Will there be a share of the spoils or will one side assert dominance over their rivals? Frankly, it's incredibly hard to tell.
Warriors have dominated this fixture recently, with seven wins in the last 10 encounters, including a double header last Christmas.
Glasgow's head coach Franco Smith admitted those two victories have played a big part in his side's psyche before this one.
"We must underline what we did last year," he said. "We must keep on improving and showing our growth. To win would be fantastic. I know they will be very eager as well, so it's going to be a real dogfight getting it done.
"It was fantastic, especially the second game there at Murrayfield with all the spectators of both teams, engaging in the game and having a real Test match atmosphere. It's something I will always remember."
On paper both teams look fairly well stacked, while the form guide is pretty similar - albeit Glasgow are four points better off in the United Rugby Championship.
Both started their European campaigns with meek defeats before statement wins. Glasgow's victory came in France, beating Bayonne by a solitary point at the Stade Jean Dauger - a feat no French side, not even Toulouse or Stade Francais, have managed this season.
Edinburgh's came at home against Castres, who sit third in the Top 14. At one point they led 34-7 before allowing the visitors to come back into it, but ultimately they held off any comeback comfortably.
In league business, Glasgow have only lost twice so far this season - both times in Ireland - and still sit second in the standings behind Leinster. Two wins on the spin against their nearest rivals could make a big statement about their title credentials.
Edinburgh are not far behind in fifth. They have played three times on the road, winning twice, although senior coach Sean Everitt dismissed the away nature of the game.
Glasgow's home form is ominous, though. They have lost just twice in the last two years and Edinburgh have not left the west end of the city with a win since August 2020, six Scotstoun meetings ago.
Scotland centre Huw Jones will start on the wing in the first 1872 Cup game
How will Price impact rugby's 'most popular' derby?
While Smith has played up the game as "the most popular derby in world rugby", his counterpart - and fellow South African - has downplayed it.
"Every local game in South Africa is a derby because it means so much to the franchises, to see who's the best in the country and there's no difference here," Everitt said.
"The players are upbeat this week, full of energy, but we've also got to remember it's a URC competition. There are points at stake and there's a log [table] we need to play for as well. We haven't lost sight of our goal - to finish in the top eight.
"Glasgow are playing really good rugby at the moment and it's going be a massive challenge for us. We know what's coming and it's about us trying to stop them and their momentum."
Warriors have welcomed back some of their Scotland stars who were rested for the trip to Bayonne. Scott Cummings and Richie Gray are back in the boiler room while star openside Rory Darge is back, along with Tonga powerhouse Sione Vailanu at number eight.
However, they are missing back-rowers Matt Fagerson and Jack Dempsey through injury. Lucio Sordoni and Murphy Walker have also been ruled out, meaning Oli Kebble is due another stint at tighthead.
In the back three, Kyle Steyn is joined on the sidelines by Ollie Smith and Sebastian Cancelliere.
As a result, Huw Jones is on the wing, a position he has not started in during the course of his entire senior career. It means Smith fields all three of his centres - Sione Tuipulotu and Stafford McDowall as well as Jones still.
And that means there is a cocktail of options for Ross Thompson to find outside him.
Jones' task will be to stop the flying Darcy Graham - an unenviable job for most, given the winger's slippery nature - who makes his first start of the season for Edinburgh.
Argentina's Emiliano Boffelli should also make his first appearance of the year for the capital side from the bench.
Edinburgh's most eye-catching selection is still that of Ali Price. He has been picked to start against his parent club just a month-and-a-half after he left, with co-captain Ben Vellacott named on the bench.
Everitt said it would be "unethical" to rely on Price's enemy intel, but one cannot help but wonder the part he will play against the side that waved him goodbye so recently.
Glasgow Warriors: McKay, Jones, Tuipulotu (c), McDowall, Rowe, Thompson, Horne; Bhatti, Turner, Z Fagerson, Cummings, Gray, Miller, Darge, Vailanu.
Replacements: Matthews, McBeth, Kebble, Peterson, Williamson, Venter, Afshar, Jordan.
Edinburgh: Goosen, Graham, Currie, Lang, Van der Merwe, Healy, Price; Schoeman, Ashman, Nel, Young, Gilchrist (c), Ritchie, Watson, Mata.
Replacements: Cherry, Venter, Rae, Sykes, Crosbie, Vellacott, Bennett, Boffelli.