This post was originally published on this site.
URC: Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh
Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Date: Saturday, 20 December Time: 15:00 GMT
Coverage: Live text on BBC Sport website & app
It’s less than a week since Hampden Park witnessed its last shock when St Mirren beat Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup final. If Edinburgh turn over high-flying Glasgow Warriors at the national stadium on Saturday, it would be similarly surprising.
Warriors are riding high after a thrilling and stunning victory over six-time European champions Toulouse in the Champions Cup, rising from the ashes of a 21-0 deficit to deliver a win that sent reverberations around Europe.
Edinburgh, by contrast, are reeling from a 33-0 thrashing at the hands of Castres. A seismic win at home to French heavyweights Toulon the week before confirmed what we already know: that at their best Edinburgh can be a match for anyone. But they remain consistently, and maddeningly, inconsistent.
The tale of recent 1872 Cup meetings has been victory for the home side. Since adopting a two-leg format in 2021, seven of the past eight matches between Glasgow and Edinburgh have resulted in home victories. Edinburgh have not delivered an 1872 Cup victory along the M8 since 2020.
Warriors have won the trophy in the past three consecutive seasons, but in the most recent two they have had the bittersweet feeling of lifting the trophy having been turned over in the second leg at Murrayfield.
“It’s been difficult for us over the last couple of years because we’ve gone through this cycle of hammering Edinburgh in the first game, we’re all over them, and then the second game we lose,” Warriors’ Ollie Smith told BBC Scotland.
“We still retain the 1872 Cup, but I think it just shows the kind of standards that we set ourselves at the start of the season to be like, we’re not just happy to retain the 1872 Cup, we want to win both games.
“It’s getting our emotions right in those massive occasions and putting a performance that we know we can be proud of.
“If they beat us then they have to beat us by being perfect because, and there’s no disrespect to Edinburgh, but it feels like we’ve almost let them win because we’ve not been at it. But this year, the focus is for us to be spot on and make them beat us rather than giving it to them.”
Related internet links
Edinburgh’s memories of their first visit to Hampden last season are ones they would rather forget. They were obliterated by Glasgow, falling 33-0 down before grabbing a couple of late consolation tries to take a slight edge off the embarrassing scoreline.
Sean Everitt’s side are specialists at bouncing back from bad defeats, mainly because they have had so much practice at it. Edinburgh fans would love if, for once, their team were not made to suffer before producing a reaction, but rather came out at Hampden on the front foot.
One of the capital side’s breakout stars this season, back-row Liam McConnell, believes that in Glasgow his team face not only their local rivals, but one of the best sides around. It is among the reasons he is relishing the tussle between the sides.
“I’ve never played in one,” said the 21-year-old. “I’ve been at the club for the last couple of seasons now and been around it when it’s the 1872 Cup weeks. It’s always special.
“The guys in the matchday squad have a different intensity around them, so to be part of it is pretty cool. Everyone’s real focused for Saturday, you can tell.
“It’ll be good. Glasgow are in good form right now, probably one of the best club teams in the world, you could say.
“It’s not only 1872, we’re playing one of the best club teams in the world at the moment, so that’s a challenge in itself. I’m really excited.”
All the feelgood factor and momentum generated from that famous win over Toulon was dynamited by Edinburgh fielding a weakened team and going down meekly to Castres.
It’s a familiar narrative heading into the derby – Glasgow being showered with praise, Edinburgh being bombarded with questions and criticism.
The best way to change that would be to give Warriors a bloody nose in front of their own people on Saturday.
“There’s no-one better to beat, is there?” said Edinburgh hooker Ewan Ashman.
“We know they’re a quality team and those are the games you want to play. Glasgow are a good side and that was a good win [against Toulouse].
“We’ve done similar a couple of weeks ago against Toulon, so we know the feeling. They’ll be riding super high and they’ll be coming in with confidence.
“It’s the exact kind of challenge we’re looking to take head-on. We need to show that fighting spirit.”
