Glasgow Warriors: emphasis on youth after loss of title-winning titans as ACL rules out new boy

The plan is to integrate them over the coming weeks, starting on Friday with the opening league game of the season against the Hollywoodbets Sharks at Scotstoun.

It’s a two-fold project with the aims being that the talented youngsters will help the Warriors challenge at the top of the table while also evolving into players capable of graduating to the national side.

Scottish Rugby wants its pro clubs to put more emphasis on nurturing native talent and, consequently, there will be fewer foreign players in the Glasgow team this season.

It was a directive which was met initially with some opposition from Franco Smith, with the Warriors head coach highlighting how important overseas players such as Henco Venter were to the development of the club’s youngsters.

Time for the young blood

Venter has now gone, along with Sebastian Cancelliere and JP du Preez. The club also lost Scotland squad players Tom Jordan and Jack Mann to big-spending English clubs but Glasgow’s focus has now switched to ensuring promising talents such as Jare Oguntibeju, Macenzzie Duncan, Seb Stephen, Fergus Watson, Kerr Johnson and Kerr Yule continue on an upward trajectory.

“A lot of younger lads, hopefully, will feature,” said Nigel Carolan, the Warriors assistant coach. “We've been working hard with them.

“I think we'll treat the first few games as a building period. Not only bring the next crop of young lads through, but also to reintegrate both internationals and Lions players back into the fold.

Big dogs and Lions

“I think it's important that we find balance. I think at the end of last season a lot of experience left in the squad, foreign players like Henco Venter and Sebastien Cancelliere. We've also seen some young blood with Jare in the second row and Macenzzie Duncan in the back row. There's some young blood being dropped in, and I think that will continue as well.

“It's a slightly smaller squad than what we've had, so I think our focus is very much on developing the next crop of international players for Scotland.”

Alongside them will be Glasgow’s big dogs - and a couple of Lions. Sione Tuipulotu and Scott Cummings are back in full training after a successful trip down under with Andy Farrell’s tourists. Huw Jones, who played in all three Lions Tests against Australia, is out after surgery to repair a long-standing Achilles issue which is likely to mean he won't be available for Scotland’s autumn series and perhaps longer.

Zander Fagerson, who was originally selected by Farrell but had to miss the Lions tour because of a calf injury, is still working his way back to fitness.

But the Warriors will welcome back a number of Scotland internationals who did not feature in either of their pre-season games against Bath and Northampton, including Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson, George Horne, Jamie Dobie, Adam Hastings, Stafford McDowall, Kyle Rowe and captain Kyle Steyn.

“Everyone's basically available, unless they're rehabbing,” said Carolan. “Obviously, Huw Jones just had surgery last week.”

New signing sidelined by ACL injury

Regarding Zander Fagerson, he added: “He re-aggravated a different issue. He could be a few weeks, so we're not really sure which game he's going to be back in, but we're going to make sure we manage that appropriately.”

One player who won’t be involved for some time is Charlie Savala. The former Edinburgh fly-half/centre was signed from Northampton Saints but is recovering from a serious knee injury.

“Charlie came into us unfortunately with an ACL injury, so we won't see him probably this side of Christmas, which is unfortunate,” said Carolan. It's been a frustrating period for him, having joined a new club with such a substantial injury.”

20-minute red cards for URC

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that 20-minute red cards will feature in the URC this season as part of a global trial instigated by World Rugby, the game’s governing body.

The idea was road-tested in the last season’s autumn nations series and Six Nations and is designed to lessen the punishment for “non-deliberate” red card offences.

A player who receives a 20-minute red card is removed from the game and cannot return but after 20 minutes of playing time, his team may bring on a replacement. Two yellow cards to the same player in one match will also equal a 20-minute red card.

The URC cites the following as examples of 20-minute red card offences: a shoulder charge to the head with low danger or indirect contact; a tackle, or in a ruck clear-out attempt, where a player makes head contact despite a genuine attempt to wrap; high-danger foul play that is not deemed deliberate or always illegal.

Permanent red cards will remain as the ultimate sanction and will be used for offences such as a shoulder charge to the head with high force and direct contact; a highly dangerous clear-out directly onto or landing on an opponent’s lower limbs at a ruck; punching, kicking, headbutts, verbal abuse or any form of violent conduct or acts of “thuggery”.

“The trial is designed to protect player welfare, improve accuracy in key decisions, and ensure the game remains fair and competitive for players, teams and fans,” said the URC in a statement.