Ahead of Saturday's highly anticipated 1872 Cup derby at Hampden Park, former Glasgow Warriors captain and Premier Sports pundit Ryan Wilson has delivered his expert verdict, suggesting the weight of expectation rests firmly on the home side.
Favourites Tag Piles Pressure on Warriors
Wilson believes that being labelled as favourites for the United Rugby Championship (URC) clash paradoxically increases the pressure on Glasgow Warriors while freeing up their rivals from the capital. "I think being favourites actually puts more pressure on Glasgow and takes the pressure off Edinburgh," Wilson told Daily Mail Sport.
He contrasted this with last weekend's stunning Champions Cup victory over Toulouse, where expectations were lower. "There was a bit of pressure on Warriors, of course, but not as much. They probably weren’t expected to win that one," Wilson stated, highlighting that the derby dynamic creates a unique pressure cooker.
Wilson emphasised that these inter-city battles are outliers, where league form can be thrown out the window. "These games are outliers. You have to separate them from what’s been happening in the league and the Champions Cup because everything changes in a derby match," he explained, noting the personal battles that define the fixture.
Hampden Experiment and Smith's Rising Stock
On the decision to host the match at the national stadium, Wilson was fully supportive, citing the overwhelming demand seen for the Toulouse game at Scotstoun. He sees it as a crucial step for growing the sport's footprint. "Ultimately you’ve got to try and get more people in to watch this game if you can," he said, expressing hope that attendance could push towards the 30,000 mark in coming years.
The pundit also heaped praise on Glasgow head coach Franco Smith, whose stock has soared following impressive European wins over Sale Sharks and Toulouse. Wilson pointed to Smith's clever management, such as deploying Ollie Smith across multiple backline positions, as evidence of his strategic foresight.
"Franco is bloody good at what he does," Wilson asserted. However, he issued a warning to the Scottish Rugby Union, urging them to support Smith further by securing the futures of key players like Huw Jones and Jack Dempsey, who are out of contract and attracting interest.
Key Battles and Where the Game Will Be Won
Wilson identified the critical tactical challenge for Glasgow: avoiding the dogfight Edinburgh will try to instigate. He predicts Sean Everitt's side will aim to disrupt Glasgow's rhythm and dominate the breakdown.
"For Glasgow, it’s about not getting into a dogfight," Wilson advised. "If Glasgow can just get that quick ball, get on top of them, and put them under pressure, then I see Edinburgh giving away a few penalties."
He highlighted several mouth-watering individual duels to watch:
- Darcy Graham: The elusive Edinburgh winger, a proven threat in these fixtures.
- Kyle Steyn vs. Duhan van der Merwe: A colossal wing battle with Six Nations selection implications.
- Jack Dempsey vs. Liam McConnell: A pivotal back-row contest that could decide the gainline.
Wilson concluded by stressing the importance of the result for the URC table, a factor he feels is sometimes forgotten amidst the derby frenzy. Glasgow will target a full five-point haul, while Edinburgh will be desperate to salvage something from the trip to Hampden.
Ryan Wilson will be part of the Premier Sports team for live coverage of the 1872 Cup clash from Hampden Park this Saturday at 2pm on Premier Sports 2.
