Glasgow Warriors will be prepared to go back to “the dark places” in order to make it their day at the RDS and win the RaboDirect PRO12 final against champions Leinster.
Skipper Al Kellock won’t think about his final speech to his team before they take the field in Dublin tonight, but he believes the times of adversity are the best motivation for his side rather than the successes, even the nine-match unbeaten run that has taken the Warriors to the final.
“I think we’ve been to some really, really dark places where some incredible effort was needed so we are a stronger team because of that,” he said as the team prepared to leave for the Irish capital yesterday.
“Against Munster in the semi-final we were under the posts waiting for a TMO decision on what would have been a second try for them to go 14-3 ahead, and we spoke then about it being a dark place.
“Eventually the try was not awarded, we came through and did what it took to beat Munster, and that puts us in a good place. We have learned lessons and there will be an element of that in the talk tomorrow; this is not anything new for us, we know how to win games we have won nine in a row.”
The momentum of that run has many believing that this could be Glasgow’s time, but Kellock believes it counts for both teams.
“There will be an element of ‘this is our time’ for both teams so we have to go deeper than that,” he said.
“We need to say why is it our time, what have we done to put ourselves into this place, what has been good for us, where do we need to go when it gets really, really hard both individually and as a team.
“For the eight years that I have been involved with this club when it has got really tough you have seen battling from us, but now we have the quality on top of that.”
Glasgow’s preparation has been as normal as possible, just as it was for the semi when the players stayed at home and came to the ground two hours before, just as they would do for any league game, but the entire squad will be in Dublin tonight.
“The guys who are not involved, and it applied before the semi final as well, what a job they have done,” continued Kellock. “They got over the disappointment in pretty much an hour and then we were back on that training park, everybody was working exceptionally well, everything was about the 23 winning the game. That’s enormous credit to them.”
Head coach Gregor Townsend re-iterated that sentiment later, saying that victory would be “just as much the whole squad’s as the 23 picked”, but there will be controversy about the omission of Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg once again, after the 21-year-old was left out for the semi-final.
Rumours persist that Hogg will leave the Warriors but Townsend was adamant yesterday when asked if the British Lion had played his last game for the club.
“He is here next year,” he said, referring to Hogg having another year left on his current contract. “I’d like to think he will play lots of games.”
Hogg won’t even get a place on the bench with the coaches considering the versatility of Niko Matawalu, Ruiradh Jackson and Sean Lamont covers all eventualties.
Instead, Townsend has rewarded Gordon Reid for his consistency of performance in the unbeaten run with a starting spot ahead of Ryan Grant, while he’s tinkered with his midfield restoring Peter Horne to inside centre, Alex Dunbar going to 13 and Mark Bennett missing out.
“Gordy has played really well, right up to the semi-final and he took his opportunity when he came on then,” said Townsend. “We know we have strength there.
“Peter offers something different tactically, a left foot kicking option and another first receiver, someone to help Finn (Russell) through the game having played at 10 himself.”
Horne actually started at 10 a year ago in the PRO12 semi-final at the RDS many thought Glasgow should have won.
“We came very close last year in the semi-final, when we hit the post to take it into extra time,” recalled Townsend. “It was a cracking game, probably our best of the season.
“But last year we give a penalty away at the kick-off but led to a lineout and then the drive for them to score a try. Lack of discipline also gave them nine points in penalties they didn’t have to work for.
“We have conceded the fewest tries from lineouts in the league. We’ve conceded only three and the next best is in double figures. There’s been a lot of work into making sure our defence, not just of drives but off the first few phases, is spot-on. We’re going to have to be strong defensively.”
The last game for leinster and Irish legend Brian O’Driscoll provokes admiration and respect from Townsend, but he doesn’t believe it should be a factor.
“At 13, he’s been the world’s best,” said the coach. “When I played against him he was an excellent attacker, a low centre of gravity and real speed on to the ball. Even when defences started putting two players on him, he developed other ways to unlock defences.
“He has a fantastic short kicking game, brilliant hands in those loop plays Leinster like, and he has developed a really strong defensive game.
“I think he’ll be there right to the end, making tackles and challenging for possession like he always does.”