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Glasgow scrum-half Ali Price is eager to put his Lions lessons into practice when his season begins this weekend. Price was given an extended summer break following the tour of South Africa and both he and Zander Fagerson are set for their first appearances of the season when Warriors host Leinster in the United Rugby Championship on Friday.
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The 28-year-old Price made seven appearances on the British and Irish Lions summer tour, including two starts and one substitute appearance in the Tests. “It was a brilliant experience in the summer,” he said. “On a personal level, I got out of it everything that I could have wanted.
“How I read the game and how to manage and control a match, I took a lot away from being involved in that environment in the summer. It’s been a long time since that third Test so I am excited to just get out there really and get the ball in my hands and start playing with the boys and pick up from the summer, to be honest.
“That was great but it is gone now and I am on to the next job and I want to keep improving. The best way to do that is by being out there playing. It will be good to get out there and have a run around on Friday.”
Price has been back training for several weeks but he was happy to heed the advice of a former Scotland scrum-half, Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair, and not rush back into action. “You have to be careful and make sure that, mentally more than anything, you have a break after coming off the tour in the summer,” he said.
"Specialists were saying, ‘Never think about rugby again, forget about rugby, think about having a normal life’."
– New Worcester prop Rory Sutherland, the recent Lions pick, has come a long way in five years writes @heagneyl ???#Lions #Warriors #EXEvWORhttps://t.co/LDRIKJHcSk
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 8, 2021
“I found a natural point that happened with my time off. I got back after our Jersey quarantine and had four weeks. Into that last week, when games were starting up and friendlies were being played, I hadn’t been back in the building yet. I was ready then to get back into things and get going for another year. I got some good messages from Mike Blair, who obviously went on a Lions tour (in 2009). I mentioned wanting to come back and he said he was the same but he felt, looking back, that he rushed himself back. He played after three weeks and he said he needed more time mentally.
“That stuck with me a bit. I thought I would have the first couple of weeks to get back into things and get my fitness right and settle into the environment again, and you will reach that point where you are ready to go. I have done that quite well working with the trainers here.”
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Price will follow up that narrow third Lions Test loss with more tough challenges, with the Leinster game followed by Scotland’s four-match autumn series, which includes another meeting with the Springboks. Gregor Townsend named his squad on Wednesday.
“They have set the benchmark in this league with their performances and titles they have won on the trot, and if you want to find out where you are at as a team, it’s seeing how you perform against teams like Leinster,” he said. “It’s an exciting challenge and then into the autumn Tests, more tough games, but they are the ones you want to be involved in.”
SQUAD NEWS: Gregor Townsend has announced his squad for the four upcoming Scotland matches #Scotland #Lions
https://t.co/pRPTAjd3pS— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Great article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
42 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
42 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
42 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
13 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
6 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
42 Go to commentsGreat signing, not sure where he’ll fit in though. As for him ‘playing alongside RG Snyman, that’s highly debatable given the likelyhood that the latter will spend most of the season on sick leave.
13 Go to comments