The launch of the RaboDirect Pro 12 Rugby tournament took place at Glasgow’s impressive Riverside Museum on Tuesday morning with coaches and captains from all twelve teams in attendance.
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The cross-border tournament, which features professional teams from Scotland, Italy, Wales and Ireland, is growing more popular each year and chief executive and former Scotland full-back Andy Irvine highlighted the fact that there is an increased demand for rugby amongst the competing nations in his opening address.
“We’re looking to provide the best and most attractive rugby competition in the Northern Hemisphere”, he explained. “In last year’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals 5 out of 8 teams were from the Pro 12, three made the semi-finals and of course the final was between Leinster and Ulster which shows the strength of our league”.
This year’s competition will welcome newcomers Zebre who have replaced Aironi as Italy’s second representatives alongside the much-improved Treviso and will play their home games at Stadio XXV Aprile in Parma.
Glasgow captain Al Kellock and new head coach Gregor Townsend were in confident mood as one would expect given they were on home soil when many of these events take place in Ireland or Wales, and they were keen to give their thoughts on the upcoming season which will see them finally settle at the refurbished Scotstoun stadium.
Kellock, now in his 6th season as captain at Glasgow Warriors, admitted that it will be difficult to replicate last year’s top four finish as all of the other sides will be aiming for at least the same finishing position come May.
“It’ll be a massive challenge to reach the playoffs again”, he said. “We (Glasgow) are now seen as one of the strongest sides in the competition and rightly so given our record in the league, particularly at home”, referring to the Warrior’s eight-game unbeaten run last season.
When asked about the team’s discipline issues Kellock was also keen to stress that new coach Townsend has helped instill an even more hard-edged approach in training.
“Yellow cards can sometimes galvanize a team and although we were given 14 sin-binnings last season, many of them were in games that we actually won”, referring to the wins over Ospreys and Treviso in which the captain himself was yellow-carded. “We’ll be careful not to exceed that total this year as keeping fifteen men on the pitch is vital in close games”, he confirmed.
New coach Gregor Townsend was also in high spirits looking ahead to his second and final pre-season match against Exeter Chiefs at Ayr’s Milbrae ground on Thursday night.
“The whole squad’s been training well and I’ll be bringing in most of our Scotland contingent for this match to bring them up to speed ahead of our season opener at Ulster next Friday.
When asked about the pressure specifically on him in an unfamiliar role as a head coach Townsend was also keen to stress that it’s not a new feeling for him. “There’s always pressure to win in rugby no matter what level you’re playing at. I’m enjoying my new role and I’m very happy with the squad I have for this season”, he explained.
Among the other captains enjoying the many exhibits from Glasgow’s transport history at the museum this morning was Ulster’s Johann Muller who was looking forward to another season.
“Last year was great for our young squad”, Muller explained. “Reaching the final of the Heineken Cup was a phenomenal feeling for us, obviously we were disappointed with the outcome but we’re really desperate to win something and we can’t wait to get going against the Warriors at home next Friday night”.
Edinburgh Rugby coach Michael Bradley made the short journey along the M8 along with club captain Greig Laidlaw and both were also quietly confident about the new season, both domestically in the Pro 12 and in Europe.
“Training’s been going really well”, Bradley confirmed. “Our new signings are gelling well both within the squad and the city of Edinburgh in general and we’ll be looking to get off to a winning start against Munster at Murrayfield next Friday night”.
Captain Greig Laidlaw was also keen to stress that Edinburgh will be a force to reckon with in the Pro 12 and that he was frustrated by his side’s inconsistency last season.
“It was a great year for me personally but I feel that as a squad we’ll be challenging for silverware in both competitions this year”, he explained.
When asked about Edinburgh’s consistency issues the stand-off believes that once the capital outfit start winning their home games then their away form will improve as a result of increased confidence and belief that they can overcome certain teams that may have edged them out in previous years.
“We need to get off to a good start against Munster”, Laidlaw confirmed. “Once we start winning our home games then that will hopefully lead on to us picking up points on the road”.
The RaboDirect Pro 12 begins in earnest next weekend with Glasgow Warriors travelling to Belfast to take on last year’s Heineken Cup finalists Ulster, whilst Edinburgh will welcome former champions Munster to Murrayfield on Saturday September 1st.