John Barclay’s early season belief that Glasgow Warriors could win the Investec European Champions Cup has been tempered by injuries to key players and the loss of loose forward Henco Venter, which has loaded the dice heavily against the Scottish outfit as the prepare for the toughest club challenge in world rugby by facing Leinster, the four times champions, in the quarter finals at the Aviva Stadium.
Glasgow sit in second place behind Leinster in the URC table and thumped Leicester, 43-19, however, Venter picked up a six game ban for making contact with the eyes of England prop Dan Cole and Warriors will badly miss his ball carrying and work rate. The return of Scotland co-captain Rory Darge is of some comfort for Glasgow’s travelling fans who will head to Dublin more in hope than expectation.
Not even the return of Scotland centre Huw Jones, who has been suffering with the effects of a head knock and an ankle problem, could tip the scales in Glasgow’s favour and Barclay, the former Scotland captain, admits the loss of Sione Tuipulotu, after he suffered a ripped pectoral muscle in January, has been a massive blow for club and country.
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He said: “Playing Leinster away is the toughest challenge you could face, particularly with their strength in depth. I know people say it is like playing the Ireland national team, but they have added the world-class talents of Jordie Barrett and RG Snyman to their squad, so you are taking on 23 outstanding players.
“When I said (on X) that Glasgow would win the Champions Cup, I think I had a couple of red wines and I like to wind people up and there was bit of that involved. They are now missing a few players, and besides Leinster, there is also Toulouse and Bordeaux to think about. The challenge for Glasgow is monumental against Leinster, and everyone is writing them off, which is not a bad place to be, and it would be one of their biggest wins ever – up there with beating the Bulls in the URC final.
“Franco Smith ( the head coach) has done a great job in improving the depth of the squad, but they have been without six or seven players including Sione Tuipulotu who was one of the form players in the Northern Hemisphere after the Autumn tests. Glasgow miss the balance that Sione brings to midfield, and his partnership with Huw Jones is a potential Lions one in Australia and one to get excited about.
“Sione has come in and very quickly established himself as a world-class operator. No other player in Scotland can play the way he does, and Scotland and Glasgow miss him. Sione is one of those players who can do it all and against the best defences, a player who can carry and distribute like he does and defend- the full box of tricks. I hear he is close to coming back from his injury, and there is still plenty of rugby for him to prove he should be going on the Lions tour. “
Given that Leinster thrashed Harlequins 62-0 last weekend and have reached the last three finals – losing to French teams – is it worth Glasgow turning up? “Quite simply, they have to be at their very, very best because Leinster not only dominate how the game is played but where it is played,” added Barclay. “They determine the entire extent of the game, and I remember playing against them for Scarlets a number of years ago and came off the pitch well beaten and thinking that we hadn’t done a lot wrong, but we couldn’t control anything in the game. They are masters at how the game is played, and where they tactically and territorially put you is fantastic.
“Glasgow have to attack and find a way to deal with that really heavy blitz defence and the danger is getting caught behind the gain line time and time again. Franco is very astute at preparing his team and how he analyses the opposition. It is about how they manage the complexity of the Leinster attack and then pin them back and be very aggressive competing on the floor.
“As we saw against the All Blacks and Wallabies, Ireland were given a hard time at the breakdown with that area made very scrappy – make it as much of a mess legally as possible – that is something they have to do. If you just let Leinster play and try and hold them you have almost got no chance. A really aggressive mindset around the break down and being accurate is key, and Rory Darge starting would be a big part of that.”
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This is another opportunity for Darge to put his hand up for Lions selection, although Barclay acknowledges head coach Andy Farrell is spoilt for choice when it comes to ball-winning back row options to take on the Wallabies in the three-test series. “Rory is in the conversation, and there is great quality available and as Sam Warburton pointed out, someone from Rory, Jac Morgan, Josh van der Flier and the Currys is going to miss out this time.
“This type of game against Leinster probably carries more weight in terms of the Lions selections and if you go over to the Aviva as massive underdogs against Leinster team that is going to form a large chunk of that tour squad in Australia and front up, then that is the kind of thing people will notice. “
The set-piece battle against Leinster will also be key, and although he could be accused of Scottish bias, Barclay is convinced Zander Fagerson, the Scotland and Glasgow tight head, should be in Australia with his impressive engine, allowing him to make significant contributions around the pitch as well as in the tight. He explained: “ Zander is probably the one tighthead prop in the Six Nations who plays as many minutes as he does and at such a consistent level. There is an expectation that he will deliver time and time again. I think he is a fantastic player, and his work rate around the park sets him apart. Generally, you are talking about him playing for 70-75 minutes every match, which is hugely impressive.
“I think, feasibly, the whole starting Scotland backline could go on the Lions tour, and I expect Zander and Pierre Schoeman to go with possibly Jamie Ritchie, and that would be a really strong Scottish representation. I know people will point to where Scotland finished in the Six Nations table, but if you take those players and put them in a Lions jersey, that is a really exciting prospect.”
John Barclay is part of the Premier Sports team showing every game live in the Investec Champions Cup, including Glasgow Warriors’ big quarter-final contest against Leinster on Friday (Premier Sports 1 from 7pm). Join the home of rugby for just £11.99 a month. Visit www.premiersports.tv
