GLASGOW v LEICESTER: Franco Smith goes full throttle as head coach names strongest side ahead of historic Champions Cup knockout clash

Franco Smith was rotating and resting players agelong earlier it was each the rage successful rugby circles.

While Saracens’ determination to permission retired galore of their England stars for their Champions Cup necktie astatine Toulon has been a blistery taxable this week, Smith has the luxury of naming the strongest line-up disposable to him for Glasgow’s ain European clash astatine location to Leicester Tigers tonight.

The South African was speedy to constituent retired that antithetic circumstances impact the English teams — including the menace of imaginable relegation from the Premiership.

In truth, however, it is his meticulous readying and a committedness to gathering genuine squad extent implicit a fig of years that person allowed him to tract a squad replete with Scotland internationals and respective different experienced figures.

Only injuries to Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Jack Dempsey, Scott Cummings and Josh McKay person denied Smith the accidental to sanction what would beryllium wide considered his strongest line-up, portion his Leicester counterpart Michael Cheika has gone with much of a mixed bag.

Travelling northbound for the first-ever Champions Cup knockout necktie to beryllium held astatine Scotstoun volition beryllium Handre Pollard, Dan Cole, Freddie Steward and Scotland brace Will Hurd and Cameron Henderson — though the likes of Julian Montoya, Tommy Reffell and Ollie Chessum volition enactment behind.

Smith is excessively diplomatic to remark connected however different clubs take to operate, but it is evident that Glasgow springiness the Champions Cup and the United Rugby Championship adjacent billing.

‘This is an important competition,’ said the Warriors caput coach. ‘I can’t speech for anybody other but evidently everybody successful the nine is looking guardant to being progressive successful this game. So, it goes without saying that they’re the champion players. Well, not the champion players… we’ve got 45 precise bully players here.

‘I deliberation determination mightiness beryllium immoderate discussions astir (Saracens’ determination to remainder players) aft the game. But to pain your candle astatine some ends is really, truly tough.

‘It’s hard to beryllium competitory successful some these competitions and negociate everybody’s anticipation to win.

‘It’s understandable that there’s much astatine involvement for them. Having spent a twelvemonth relegated, they cognize what it is to beryllium down there. I can’t talk connected their behalf but I tin recognize what their bid of thought is.’

This is simply a important milestone for Warriors arsenic they look to hunt down a first-ever Champions Cup knockout triumph and instrumentality their spot successful the quarter-finals.

They person shown an appetite to accommodate to the situation of facing South African and Irish absorption successful the URC but Leicester, who beryllium 3rd successful the Premiership, volition supply different stern trial of their credentials, particularly up beforehand successful the carnal battle.

If Glasgow tin triumph that contention to supply regular speedy shot to an explosive backmost line, past a breakthrough triumph successful beforehand of a sold-out, expectant location assemblage mightiness not beryllium beyond them.

‘Progression successful Europe depends connected being capable to accommodate to antithetic rugby styles, beryllium that French oregon the Premiership,’ added Smith.

‘I cognize that there’s a batch of concern successful the set-piece successful the Premiership, from a method and fiscal perspective. Same with France: each the large signings are successful the beforehand five. It’s important to measurement up to that level now.

‘We cognize what it takes to get progressive successful a crippled similar this. To person it astatine location is simply a existent accolade and compliment to the full situation that’s worked hard to enactment america successful this position. It’s an important milestone but hopefully it motivates the players to marque the adjacent measurement here.

‘We’ve conscionable treated it similar a mean week. It doesn’t request to beryllium different. There is already capable anticipation astir this game. You shouldn’t overfill an already afloat cup.’

The injuries to Jones (Achilles) and Tuipulotu (pectoral) stay a concern. Smith volition springiness them each accidental of featuring earlier the extremity of the regular play to boost their chances of travelling with the British and Irish Lions to Australia successful the summer.

Asked if Jones tin inactive play for the Lions, Smith replied: ‘Definitely. Same with Sione. We’re imagination givers, not imagination takers. We cognize however overmuch they privation to lend and however overmuch they privation to hole themselves successful lawsuit they get selected. 

'So it’s astir the close timing. Currently, they are progressing nicely and they volition beryllium an integral portion of the past portion of the season. But we are progressing with caution implicit their participation.’

Another intriguing constituent to this match-up is that Smith has been named arsenic a imaginable successor to Cheika arsenic caput manager erstwhile the Australian steps distant from Welford Road successful the summer.

As with the Wales vacancy, with which helium was besides linked, Smith did not determination acold h2o connected the speculation wholly — beyond saying it wasn’t the close clip to beryllium discussing it.

‘I americium afloat focused connected what’s going to hap connected Saturday night. It’s decidedly not thing I privation to remark connected astatine this stage,’ helium said. 

‘I’m sincere erstwhile I accidental my mind’s present astatine the infinitesimal and I’m focusing perfectly connected what needs to hap implicit (the remainder of) this season. That benignant of speech for present is dormant and buried.’