IT IS that time of year again when depleted squads battle it out to keep their teams in the hunt for silverware, when success as measured by getting players into the national side can be punished by having to scratch around merely for players to complete the match-day 23.
So it is that over the next month, Gregor Townsend, the Glasgow Warriors head coach, firmly expects to take the number of players he has used this season well past the 50 mark, knowing that with so many changes to every club, the form book and the wonders of video analysis go out the window. Every match is a potential ladder but equally a potential snake. Take your pick.
At the same time, he points out, it is also a once-a-season chance for players. "This time last year, Finn Russell was on the bench for us, he came off, did really well and now he is starting in every Six Nations game for Scotland. That is what we mean by it being an opportunity," Townsend pointed out.
This season's candidate for potential bolt from the blue is Fraser Lyle, signed from Stirling County only three months ago after a career that has taken him round Scotland and as far afield as Canada. He steps up for his debut at centre in tomorrow's match away at Zebre, in a team where experience and leadership are also strong with Al Kellock, the captain, making his 150th appearance in a Glasgow shirt.
"It is a period when you can get ahead of other teams, a vital period as they all are," added Townsend. "It is four games where you know are going to be missing all or some of the Scotland players. These are the games where you have to make sure you step up and get the win."
Zebre: H Daniller; D Berryman, T Iannone, M Bergamasco, G Toniolatti; L Orquera, B Leonard; A Lovotti, O Fabiani, L Redolfini, A Mahu, A Cavalieri, V Bernabo, F Cristiano (C), J Sarto. Replacements: L Ferraro, A De Marchi, L Leibson, F Ruzza, R Riccioli, A Chillon, M Pratichetti, E Padovani.
Glasgow Warriors: P Murchie; L Jones, R Vernon, F Lyle, D van der Merwe; P Horne, N Matawalu; A Allan, P MacArthur, M Cusack, T Swinson, A Kellock (C), J Eddie, T Holmes, L Nakarawa. Replacements: K Bryce, J Yanuyanutawa, R de Klerk, J Strauss, W Bordill, A Price, C Braid, R Hughes.
Referee: L Colgan (Ireland)
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