Glasgow trio give fitness boost to Scotland
Franco Smith is optimistic Glasgow pair Kyle Steyn and Jack Dempsey will be in contention for the start of Scotland’s Six Nations campaign, while he anticipates Rory Darge returning for “the back end” of the tournament.
Winger Steyn has been sidelined since late October with an ankle injury while back-row duo Dempsey and Darge have been sidelined since November and late December respectively with knee and face injuries.
All three remain absent as Glasgow face Exeter at Sandy Park on Saturday in a match crucial to their prospects of progressing in the Champions Cup.
But Smith hopes to have Steyn and Dempsey back for next Friday’s match at home to Toulon, three days after Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend names his Six Nations squad and a fortnight ahead of the opening match away to Wales.
The prognosis on Darge is better than initially suspected but he is not expected back until towards the end of February, a month in which Scotland will play three of their five Six Nations fixtures.
The matches away to Italy and Ireland in March appear more realistic for the 23-year-old, who missed the whole of last year’s tournament through injury.
“Jack has trained well this week, he came through everything,” Glasgow head coach Smith said on Friday. “He’s had a non-contact week leading into contact at the back end and next week he will be clear.
“Kyle is the same. He has had his first full week of training. They are now well prepared and I think both of them can be available for selection next week.
“With Rory, we had good news on his MRI. His prognosis is six to eight weeks from the injury, and two weeks of that has already gone, so I definitely think he will make it by the back end of the Six Nations but that will depend on Scotland’s involvement as well.”
Smith has made six changes to his side for the Exeter clash. Scotland back-rower Matt Fagerson returns after a month out with a facial injury but hooker Johnny Matthews – the top scorer in the United Rugby Championship – is rested as he recovers from a minor ankle issue.
Gregor Hiddleston, 22, will make his professional debut in place of Matthews in the number two jersey as Warriors bid to pull off an away win against their Gallagher Premiership hosts and remain in touch with top two Northampton and Exeter.
“I don’t want to add more pressure to what there already is,” said Smith. “We know the Champions Cup is tough and we know what needs to be done. We’re approaching it almost with a Test match feeling.
“There is not going to be much room for error with the way Exeter play. Our execution needs to go to the next level. As we’ve turned the page now and are into 2024, it’s important for us to get more cohesion and get a better outcome from our processes.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to comments