Glasgow’s leaders will have to take the initiative and keep the focus on the task in hand in what is certain to be among rugby’s most emotional occasions at Thomond Park this afternoon.
Warriors head coach Gregor Townsend will rely on Jonny Gray’s growing maturity as leader of the team as they meet a Munster team still coming to terms with the tragic and sudden loss of their coach Anthony Foley last week in Paris.
Quite how the Irish province will react once the whistle goes in the first game since Foley’s passing is unknown – the funeral was held near Limerick yesterday with the entire squad in attendance – but the Warriors know it’s likely to be with passion and fervor.
“This was already a difficult game; Munster in the Champions Cup are a different team, they play at a much more intense level,” said Townsend, who knew Foley well from coming through the playing and coaching ranks at the same time from age-group rugby.
“It’s going to be a poignant occasion but there will also be the togetherness that Munster are fanous for and a whole lot of noise. Our guys appreciate the enormity of this occasion for the Munster players and fans and hopefully it’s going to bring out the best in both teams.”
In such a situation the team leaders are key, and Townsend believes Gray is growing into the role as captain, even if it means ignoring his head coach’s advice from the sidelines, as occurred during last week’s rout of Leicester.
“Last week Jonny did what he always does but his captaincy was excellent,” added Townsend. “He took decisions, ignoring his coach, which is actually great, on doing what he felt was needed in scrums and a lineout drive.
“To have that confidence in a big game against a team filled with internationals is really good.”
Townsend also felt his other leaders – Stuart Hogg, Josh Strauss, Finn Russell and Rob Harley, among others – also stepped up.
“In an away game like this it’s really important that those guys talk and work out what is happening on the pitch. They did that really well against Leicester because they figured out where we could pressure them and where we needed to be strong.
“We have to do that this weekend as well.”
Townsend was forced to shuffle his backline last week with a late call-off from Alex Dunbar and an early injury to Sam Johnson, and has gone back to that centre pairing for today’s game.
His only other change to the starting XV also looks to be made with defence in mind, Sean Lamont starting on the wing in place of last week’s two-try man of the match, Leonardo Sarto.
Glasgow (vs Munster, European Rugby Champions’ Cup, Thomond Park, Limerick, 1pm kick off, live on Sky Sports) S Hogg; S Lamont, A Dunbar, S Johnson, R Hughes; F Russell, H Pyrgos; G Reid, F Brown, Z Fagerson; T Swinson, J Gray; R Harley, R Wilson, J Strauss.
Replacements: P MacArthur, A Allan, S PUafisi, L Wynne, S Favaro, A Price, M Bennett, P Murchie.
