GLASGOW will christen their new artificial pitch at Scotstoun this afternoon - and it will be a baptism of fire against Leinster, who along with the Warriors are one of the most attack-minded teams in the PRO12.
The Warriors got their league campaign off to a flying start last week when they crushed Connacht 41-5 in Galway, while Leinster made heavy weather of their 20-8 home win over Treviso. But Townsend expects the Irish province to be tough opponents this afternoon, and has accepted it could take a while for his own players to make the adjustment to the old pitch after being used to the grass surface that was all too often sodden.
“I think there will still be some errors from both sides as they get used to the conditions underfoot and the way the ball bounces,” the Glasgow coach said yesterday. “But it will make for fast rugby.
“Defences will be under pressure and we just have to cope with it as quickly as we can. We’ve had five training sessions on it this week and we’ve learned a lot. For the backs, the first session wasn't that great, but we got better and we hope we have an advantage over Leinster and other teams who are not used to the surface.
“The players really like it. There are a few teams it will suit. It’s going to be a tough watch for the defence coaches. It will be great to watch for the supporters. You can produce quicker ball on the surface than in the mud. We expect good weather tomorrow, so I think it will be a cracking game.”
In addition to expecting the quality and continuity of the rugby to improve, Townsend knows that the biggest advantage for the supporters could be the fact that games will no longer be postponed because of a waterlogged surface. The Warriors had to move to Kilmarnock and Murrayfield last season for some ‘home’ fixtures, but now they should be able to stay put whatever the weather.
“I hope that's the case - unless there’s a lightning strike on the day of the game,” Townsend added. “The first priority for us was to have a pitch where we could play all season. In two of the last three seasons we’ve had to move or postpone games.”
Townsend declined to comment on speculation linking him with a role as assistant coach on the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand next summer, but he was willing to expand on a man who has also been mentioned as a possible recruit to Warren Gatland’s backroom team - the former England coach Stuart Lancaster, for whom today’s encounter will be his first match in his new role as Leinster’s senior coach.
“He’s an excellent coach,” Townsend added. “I think he’ll help a great deal in defence. I think it’s a great appointment from Leinster and I think it's good for our league as well.”
Glasgow Warriors (v Leinster at Scotstoun today, 3pm): S Hogg; L Sarto, A Dunbar, S Johnson, T Seymour; P Horne, H Pyrgos; G Reid, F Brown, S Puafisi, T Swinson, J Gray, R Harley, S Favaro, R Wilson. Substitutes: C Flynn, A Allan, Z Fagerson, T Uanivi, L Wynne, A Price, R Clegg, L Jones.
Leinster: R Kearney; F McFadden, G Ringrose, N Reid, D Kearney; J Carbery, L McGrath; C Healy, J Tracy, M Bent, M McCarthy, R Molony, D Leavy, J van der Flier, J Murphy. Substitutes: B Byrne, P Dooley, T Furlong, M Kearney, D Ryan, J Gibson-Park, C Marsh, Z Kirchner.
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