Bridgend v

Glasgow Caley

GLASGOW Caley take on Bridgend today knowing that a repeat of the performance against the same opponents earlier in the season would almost certainly wipe out their chances of picking up only their second Celtic League victory on Welsh soil.

According to centre and Scotland A aspirant Jon Stuart, that defeat at Rubislaw, Aberdeen, was the most unsatisfactory display of their campaign to date.

''It was a real shocker. We had planned to treat our supporters in the north to fast, open and running rugby, but it never came to fruition,'' he recalled.

''Bridgend were dour and tight and we made the mistake of trying to take them on at their game, instead of concentrating on our own. Sure, we played some fancy stuff in the middle of the pitch, but when we went anywhere near their line things just fell apart.''

Stuart added: ''This time round, even though the match is not on their turf, we must impose ourselves on them and stick to what we know best. The big difference between that terrible day in Aberdeen and now, is that we now have the hard edge gained from our experience in the European Cup.

''That willingness to take our chances shone through when we beat Edinburgh Reivers at Hughenden last month, and that is the kind of tempo and determination we want to reproduce down in Wales.''

After several days of rain, the Brewery Field surface is likely to resemble the contents of a gluepot, but Stuart insisted the conditions would not alter the general outlook of the Reds.

He declared: ''Training in midweek at Motherwell has gone very well despite the regular downpours. The handling has been really good - in fact, better that it has been on many a dry day.

''I am confident that we won't yield to the temptation to turn it into a battle of kickers, although if the game degenerates into that sort of contest, we have Craig Chalmers, who is one of the best wet weather stand-offs in the game.''

Bridgend - A Durston; O Ripol, J Devereux, J Funnell, M Mafi; P Williams, A Jenkins; M Filipo, C Ferris, A Griffiths, O Lloyd (captain), C Stephens, M Molitika, D Hodges, J Ringer. Replacements from - O Thomas, G Cull, G Jones, S Johnston, A Joy, T Taumaepeau, S Ford, P Clapham, R Webster.

Glasgow Caley - B Irving; T Hayes, J Stuart, I Jardine, A Bulloch; C Chalmers, A Nicol (captain); A Watt, G Bulloch, G McIlwham, D Burns, S Campbell, J White, M Waite, D Macfadyen. Replacements - C Docherty (Glasgow Hawks), D Herrington (Kirkcaldy), G Simpson, A Brown (Dundee HSFP), G Beveridge, F Stott, G Metcalfe.