WHEN all around you are collapsing with a stomach bug, what better precaution can you take than the natural remedy your wife gave you? At least that is what worked for Ryan Wilson, the Glasgow Warriors back row, as today's return trip to play Zebre brought on memories of the last time the club were in Italy.
“We got a sickness bug, it was horrific," he recalled. "We did two games over there and that sickness bug that went round. Boys were falling left, right and centre but I stood by my usual Aloe Vera juice and never got it. It's good for you. I was fine. I never got sick.”
It may be an unusual precaution but after that experience of following his wife's advice, Wilson is a convert and says that these days he wouldn't be without it.
It was just as well that at least some of the squad were up to the task. Video of the first half of that game, when Wilson's team were comprehensively outplayed, will do everything to make sure there is no sense of complacency when they head back there for tomorrow's match.
“It's a tough place to go and play, one of those places," said Wilson. "Zebre don't have the best away record but they are a different animal at home. Look at the likes of the Connacht game a couple of weeks ago. Zebre scored 20 points in the first half against Connacht – not many teams have done that. They are certainly a different animal when they are at home.
“We would look at their fitness maybe, towards the end of the match, as somewhere we want to make sure we get them but yes, it's always a hard test.
“Patience is definitely the key. It's multi-phase rugby. We have to make sure we get the three or four phases at the beginning right and then it's trying to wear them down playing multi-phase rugby that will win us the match."
Where Glasgow do have an advantage is that, since that match in April, Leonardo Sarto, who scored for Zebre, has switched allegiance to the Scots club. With his brother Jacopo still there, Sarto has an obvious inside line on what is going on.
"He has been getting a bit of stick," admitted Wilson. "He is an Italian, he is very passionate and he is still very passionate about Zebre. He'll be looking to play well if he gets the chance this weekend.
“They have a massive pack. Scrum is going to be a key area. We have focused on that this week and scrums go on for about 20 seconds for some reason over there and we thought that would tire them as well so want to scrum them as long as we can and then chuck the ball about and be accurate in that as well."
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