The Pen: I'm not a fan of Hampden but don't write off Glasgow move

Where do you start?!?! It’s been a busy old time since my last column. When I left you, we were preparing for Benetton and I said it was, even that early in the season, a must win, just based on three previous defeats and changing the momentum.

Sione Tuipulotu on the charge against Benetton (Image: SNS) Well, the boys did that in some reasonable style! When Kyle Steyn crossed the whitewash for a sublime score and then Matt Fagerson shortly after, it set the tone for the Warriors to go on and demolish their Italian visitors.

Sadly in the first half, it didn’t really happen like that. Benetton threatened a comeback until a moment of madness became their undoing.  A red card for Scott Scrafton for contact with the head of Adam Hastings - it was a stone wall red. There could be no arguments. 

The second half was a bit of a procession really, as Darge, Dobie, Steyn and Ferrie added scores. It was a demolition.

Euan Ferrie had moved to the wing by the time he added Glasgow's sixth try in the win over Benetton (Image: SNS) And it could have been worse as Glasgow had a couple of tries disallowed as well.

While it wasn’t necessarily a polished performance, it was Glasgow pressing the reset button and ensuring that they got the victory against what can be a very dangerous team.

The biggest issue was who’d be left at the end of the game as a number of players suffered injury. Steyn was on crutches, Horne had an HIA, Hastings was off at half-time and Matthews had to come on to replace Steyn! 

So calm down and prep for Cardiff then? Nah, announce Riche Gray is leaving? Aye go for that instead!

Japan has numerous skyscrapers and it’s probably just gained anther one as it looks like the big fella is off to the land of the rising sun.

Richie has been instrumental in the efficiency of the line out and the hard work in the engine room. He’s been a stand-out in his second spell who will be extremely hard to replace.

His experience is second to none, but there is definitely a positive side to his moving on. Max Williamson has come on leaps and bounds and is ready to make the step up to regular game time, Alex Samuel and Euan Ferrie are more than capable of playing more games and Jare Oguntibeju looks like a real prospect for the future who will benefit from more time on the pitch.

Add JP du Preez into that mix and the Warriors are well stacked in that position. We’ve got him for just a month or so, so make the most of it! 

RIchie Gray will leave Glasgow at the end of November (Image: SNS Group) Then it was the challenge of Cardiff on Friday night in a game that was a brilliant advert for not only Glasgow, but the URC.

It was open, loose and end-to-end stuff. Dobie scuttling his way over the line, Thomas and Winnett giving Glasgow something to think about and then the Warriors backs hit Cardiff with everything they had. Rowe crossed, Jordan intercepted and went near coast to coast, then enter Sione as he scored a try that was superb to watch with a mix of dancing feet, pace, and devastating power.

Kyle Rowe was among the tries for Glasgow in Cardiff (Image: Will Cooper/Shutterstock) He smashed a Cardiff defender over and didn’t even break stride!

He is an absolute stick-on for the Lions at this point and only injury or injustice can stop him taking that jersey. Jones added another and at the half, Glasgow were comfortably in the lead. 

But nothing is easy, not in this league and Cardiff started the half with a flurry of points. But no panic from Glasgow. They reset, went up the other end, and Matt crossed the line again, with Cardiff adding another try before  Glasgow once more kicked on as Rowe and Jordan sealed the deal. 

Jordan was superb on Friday night. More akin to famous namesake Michael, he was imperious. His intercept try was one hell of an effort.  He has grown into the role of fly-half and is getting better all the time.

Tom Jordan qualifies for Scotland next month (Image: SNS) He’ll be Scots qualified in the Autumn and I’d be very surprised if he isn’t wearing dark blue by the end of November.

Jordan is a perfect example of a player being given the confidence and freedom to express himself under Franco and he keeps on repaying him. 

And now it’s Zebre at Scotstoun on Friday night with a growing injury list against a team who turned over Munster a couple of weeks ago.

Granted they don’t generally travel well but write them off at your peril.

They have the ability to shock and if Glasgow don’t get the start they’re looking for or they get sloppy, Zebre will be there to stampede to the try line. They aren’t a team of superstars, or even household names but they will be looking to cause another upset. 

And now we have the announcement that the 1872 Cup game will be played at Hampden this year. Now it’s fair to say it’s very much mixed reviews. So here’s my tuppence-worth.

I’m not a fan of Hampden: It’s not a great stadium. I’ve been there twice this season to watch Rangers (they did win both games so that doesn’t sway my opinion!) and some of the views aren’t the best.

It’s also a nightmare to park, to drive to and to get the train from, but we are the URC champions. If not now then when? And if not Hampden then where? Glasgow has three major stadia -  Hampden, Ibrox and Celtic Park.

The city doesn’t have something in between Scotstoun and those others that could accommodate on a smaller scale, somewhere like a Rugby Park, Tynecastle or even a Fir Park.

So of those in Glasgow, Ibrox doesn’t have a big enough pitch and Celtic Park don’t want us so Hampden it is.

Is it too big? Absolutely. But we have to try and capitalise on our success and the club has to be ambitious. I think there is a heavy element of damned if you do, damned if you don’t and also speculate to accumulate. 

Glasgow will play their home leg of the 1872 Cup at Hampden (Image: SNS) There have been calls to increase the capacity of Scotstoun for years and if we can fill at least some of Hampden, say double or even treble the crowd,  maybe there is the case and the appetite to make Scotstoun bigger.

Knock down the North Stand and make it a much bigger stand in line with the main. If we can make somewhere between 15 and 20,000 folk in the gate then I think it could be viewed as a success and maybe it’s an annual event, or a move for play-offs moving forward. 

The club needs to try, and if we can get behind the idea and make it work, it could unlock other levels that were previously out of reach. 

I hope that, in great numbers, we’ll be coming, we’ll be coming, we’ll be coming down the road…