Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

The Scotland sub-plot to this weekend's 1872 Cup decider

By PA
Sione Tuipulotu - PA

Franco Smith has challenged Glasgow to claim the 1872 Cup in style and ensure there is no repeat of last year’s bitter-sweet triumph.

ADVERTISEMENT

Warriors claimed the silverware 12 months ago after defeating Edinburgh 36-29 on aggregate, but only after the disappointment of losing the second leg at Murrayfield 19-14.

Smith’s men hold a commanding 33-14 advantage from the first leg at Hampden this time, but – with United Rugby Championship points also at stake – the Glasgow head coach wants to make sure they are heading back home along the M8 with another win under their belts on Saturday.

Video Spacer

Champions Cup best SA XV not in SA teams | RPTV

Video Spacer

Champions Cup best SA XV not in SA teams | RPTV

Robbie Fleck and Nick Mallett pick their best South African XV playing in the Champions Cup, but not in South African teams. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

“Look, we don’t want to lose, nobody wants to lose,” stressed Smith. “So play to win. Last year in Edinburgh, it took away a little bit of the joy of winning the cup in a way.

“So for us, there’s more to play for than just arriving and trying to win the game. We want to be the best version of ourselves.

“It’s another URC game. We’re facing a difficult opponent away from home. We always knew that the second leg was going to be challenging.

“Last year we found that out by losing in the last minutes. We obviously expect this game to be a tough one again, like any URC game should be.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Glasgow led 33-0 going into the closing stages of last Sunday’s match but two late Edinburgh tries gave them a glimmer of hope for the second leg.

“The two tries that we gave away in the last five minutes of the game was unnecessary for the quality of the performance,” said Smith. “So we know now that they know what to do and how to get under our skin and how to get to the other side of the pitch.

“The work on for us this week was to be even better for a longer period.”

More than 36,000 tickets have been sold for the Murrayfield showdown and Smith is adamant that the 1872 Cup still means a lot to his club, who are the defending URC champions.

“It’s massive,” the South African said of the inter-city rivalry.

“They’re not only competing for the cup but they’re also competing against each other for Test match places.

ADVERTISEMENT

“There’s so much to play for. The boys are excited about being part of this. I think the 1872 Cup adds to the URC, it adds to the rivalry, it adds to the entertainment value.

“The fact that the people are going to come from Glasgow and Edinburgh to make this a spectacular day is a compliment to this.

“The boys are very motivated and eager to play well and to make Scotland proud.”

Smith has made two changes to his starting XV, with Gregor Hiddleston replacing injured hooker Johnny Matthews and Jamie Dobie in for George Horne at scrum-half.


To be first in line for Rugby World Cup 2027 Australia tickets, register your interest here 

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

England A vs Ireland A

Boks Office | Episode 35 | Six Nations Round 2 Review

O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 3 | France Week

Second round of the Men's Six Nations | Whistle Watch

Harlequins vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Saitama Wildknights | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

H
Hindi Urdu 1 hour ago
Reds name 10 Wallabies in starting side for team’s season-opener

In the early months of 2025, I made a decision that would haunt me for weeks—a decision born out of greed and the allure of quick wealth. I invested 95,000 Bitcoin into an online platform that promised exponential returns. The website looked legitimate, the testimonials seemed convincing, and the numbers they presented were irresistible. But as the days passed, the platform went silent. My investment vanished, and I realized I had fallen victim to a sophisticated scam. I was devastated, feeling like I had lost everything.Desperate for help, I began searching for solutions online. That’s when I discovered *Galaxy Ethical Tech*, a company renowned for its expertise in blockchain forensics and digital asset recovery. Known for their ethical approach and cutting-edge technology, they had a track record of helping people like me recover lost funds. With nothing left to lose, I reached out to them, hoping for a miracle.The team at Galaxy Ethical Tech, led by a brilliant blockchain analyst named *Dr. Elena Voss*, responded immediately. Dr. Voss listened to my story with empathy and assured me they would do everything in their power to help. She explained that while the process would be complex and time-consuming, their advanced tools and expertise gave them a fighting chance.

The recovery process began with a deep dive into the blockchain. Using sophisticated algorithms, Galaxy Ethical Tech traced the movement of my Bitcoin. They identified the wallets where my funds had been transferred and uncovered a network of interconnected accounts designed to obscure the trail. The scammers had used multiple layers of transactions to launder the funds, but Dr. Voss and her team were relentless.Weeks turned into months, and the team kept me updated every step of the way. They worked tirelessly, navigating the labyrinth of the blockchain and collaborating with international authorities to freeze suspicious accounts. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I received the news I had been praying for: Galaxy Ethical Tech had successfully recovered *85,000 Bitcoin* of my lost funds. The remaining amount had been irretrievably laundered, but recovering the majority felt like a miracle.When the funds were securely returned to my wallet, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Dr. Voss and her team didn’t just recover my Bitcoin—they restored my faith in the possibility of justice in the digital world. They also provided me with invaluable advice on how to protect my assets in the future, emphasizing the importance of due diligence and secure storage solutions.Galaxy Ethical Tech didn’t just save me from financial ruin; they gave me a second chance. Their commitment to ethical practices, combined with their unparalleled expertise, made them true heroes in my eyes. From that day forward, I became an advocate for their work, sharing my story as a cautionary tale and a testament to the power of technology used for good. Thanks to Galaxy Ethical Tech, what began as a nightmare ended with hope and a renewed sense of security. contact them via Email: galaxyethicaltech@mail.com Whatsapp: +15072712442 Telegram: Galaxy_ethical_tech

1 Go to comments
H
Hindi Urdu 1 hour ago
England explain their backing for Marcus Smith to stay on the kicks

In the early months of 2025, I made a decision that would haunt me for weeks—a decision born out of greed and the allure of quick wealth. I invested 95,000 Bitcoin into an online platform that promised exponential returns. The website looked legitimate, the testimonials seemed convincing, and the numbers they presented were irresistible. But as the days passed, the platform went silent. My investment vanished, and I realized I had fallen victim to a sophisticated scam. I was devastated, feeling like I had lost everything.Desperate for help, I began searching for solutions online. That’s when I discovered *Galaxy Ethical Tech*, a company renowned for its expertise in blockchain forensics and digital asset recovery. Known for their ethical approach and cutting-edge technology, they had a track record of helping people like me recover lost funds. With nothing left to lose, I reached out to them, hoping for a miracle.The team at Galaxy Ethical Tech, led by a brilliant blockchain analyst named *Dr. Elena Voss*, responded immediately. Dr. Voss listened to my story with empathy and assured me they would do everything in their power to help. She explained that while the process would be complex and time-consuming, their advanced tools and expertise gave them a fighting chance.

The recovery process began with a deep dive into the blockchain. Using sophisticated algorithms, Galaxy Ethical Tech traced the movement of my Bitcoin. They identified the wallets where my funds had been transferred and uncovered a network of interconnected accounts designed to obscure the trail. The scammers had used multiple layers of transactions to launder the funds, but Dr. Voss and her team were relentless.Weeks turned into months, and the team kept me updated every step of the way. They worked tirelessly, navigating the labyrinth of the blockchain and collaborating with international authorities to freeze suspicious accounts. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I received the news I had been praying for: Galaxy Ethical Tech had successfully recovered *85,000 Bitcoin* of my lost funds. The remaining amount had been irretrievably laundered, but recovering the majority felt like a miracle.When the funds were securely returned to my wallet, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. Dr. Voss and her team didn’t just recover my Bitcoin—they restored my faith in the possibility of justice in the digital world. They also provided me with invaluable advice on how to protect my assets in the future, emphasizing the importance of due diligence and secure storage solutions.Galaxy Ethical Tech didn’t just save me from financial ruin; they gave me a second chance. Their commitment to ethical practices, combined with their unparalleled expertise, made them true heroes in my eyes. From that day forward, I became an advocate for their work, sharing my story as a cautionary tale and a testament to the power of technology used for good. Thanks to Galaxy Ethical Tech, what began as a nightmare ended with hope and a renewed sense of security. contact them via Email: galaxyethicaltech@mail.com Whatsapp: +15072712442 Telegram: Galaxy_ethical_tech

0 Go to comments
C
CV 2 hours ago
Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

Yeah I know. Holland is from the area I live in. Him and his brother were at the rugby academy North West over here. You enter an academy here as soon as you go to high school (12) where you train 8 to 10 hours per week. They keep playing for their club on the weekends though, rugby is too small for club academies. Not enough players and money. Good thing is that you stay with your club so they don’t lose players. Top talent usually gets picked up by French clubs. The best of the rest go to the national training centre in Amsterdam where they have a professional set up.


Like everywhere in Europe, seasons run August to May and it’s all club driven. School sports don’t really exist like in NZ or the UK. Even the U7s and us oldies playing walking rugby play a full season. We just have more weeks off because of school holidays, or when the pitch is frozen. Like elsewhere in Europe, the league is a pyramid, so every club can make it to the top tier. Top clubs are semi-pro. Some clubs are part of the development programmes of French pro clubs, next to the six academies (for boys and girls) the union runs. It won’t surprise you that of the Dutch rep teams, about half of those groups play in France. It raised the bar. Players that don’t make it improve the level of the local league when they come back and the ones that do improve the national team. They beat Chile last November and are still in with a chance to make it to the WC in Australia. Women are in the WXV. Still tough because other REC countries, like Spain, Portugal and Belgium are getting better because they have similar setups as Holland does. Look up the REC game highlights on youtube, the level is pretty good.

114 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING All Blacks Sevens fall to rivals Blitzboks in SVNS Vancouver thriller All Blacks Sevens fall to rivals Blitzboks in SVNS Vancouver thriller
Search