The Autumn Nations Series is over, let the club season kick back into life!
I’ve enjoyed the series, don’t get me wrong. I ended up at four of the five games over the last few weeks. I was only supposed to be at two of them!
We’ve had incredible experiences, met double World Cup-winning Springboks, chatted with legends and froze our backsides off at The Hive, and we loved every second of it, but…I want my Warriors nights back!
And we’ve got a couple of crackers to get the festive month started! The URC and Champions Cup are back and it’s a couple of huge weeks for Glasgow.
It feels like so long since we were at Scotstoun. It was October 11 the last time we had the Friday night lights.
I said in my last column nothing less than three Scotland wins would be acceptable and in the end, that’s what they came away with. And they ran the world champions closer than the scoreline suggested.
We probably all came away with the same feeling that there might even have been the slightest of chances to give Eben, Rassie and Siya a bit more to worry about.
Against Australia, Fiji and Portugal, Scotland were excellent and a number of Warriors out there hands up for automatic selection and into Lions contention.
The Fagerson brothers were exceptional, Zander particularly so against the Wallabies where he absolutely pulverised their scrum. Assuming he’s fit, he’s an absolute shoo-in for the tour.
Tom Jordan really announced himself at 15, proving again that he can play just about anywhere in the backs.
But sadly, not much more for the Warriors as it was announced he’d be joining Bristol at the end of the season. I’ve seen mixed responses to the move.
Those pleased to see him go on and try somewhere else, those feeling he should stay and repay the Warriors faith. I’m very much in the camp of “it’s a potentially a short career, go do what you can, while you can”.
He helped us win a title and reach a European final. I think that more than repays our faith. And as always, it’s vital that the squad doesn’t stagnate, and keeps bringing through the next wave of talent. Let’s enjoy him while we can!
And while we’re talking about contracts, I am delighted to be proved wrong by Sione committing his long-term future to the Warriors! I genuinely thought there was no chance of him staying on but it just proves that happiness is vital when you’re looking at where you want to be.
Sione is adored by the Scotstoun faithful and I have no doubt that was part of what kept him in the black and blue shirt. He is approaching Leone levels of appreciation, and that’s a high bar!
He’s stuck in, not let other players coming in deter him and shown what an asset he is to this club, both on and off the pitch.
When Joshua was lucky enough to be mascot, it was Stafford he ran out with. He took five minutes after the game to chat to him, thanking him for sharing the field with him and made a fuss of him. That’s while he was still in his kit, freezing and soaking. That’s a measure of the man. I’m delighted he’ll be with us for a while yet.
And he’ll be captain on Friday night as Scarlets pitch up in Glasgow for the return of the URC. And I cannot wait for it to be back.
Scarlets will provide a stiff test for a Warriors side that has a few players back but still be missing some of the big hitters due to rest and guys like Jack Dempsey, Kyle Steyn and Max Williamson due to injury.
That said, they have only one less victory than Glasgow and only sit four places behind the Warriors in the table. But I’d be disappointed if Glasgow aren’t celebrating come the end of the game. It would be a real opportunity missed to close on Leinster.
Then add to that Sale next Friday, Toulon after that, the 1872 derbies, Racing 92 and a trip to Quins and it really is a pivotal point in the season.
And I for one, can’t wait to see how this goes because I feel very positive about where we’re going and how we’re playing. It’s going to be a Christmas cracker!
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