GLASGOW face West Hartlepool at Brierton Lane today in search of a victory which would provide an enormous morale-booster with the European Cup kick-off less than two weeks away.
The city have been decisively beaten by London Scottish and Sale in their two previous warm-up encounters, and, in terms of building up self-belief, another defeat would set the alarm bells ringing.
A measure of how stiff a task they face can be underlined by the fact West Hartlepool - newly relegated from England's top flight - outgunned a Lion-packed Newcastle Falcons side just last weekend.
''Our overall performance against Sale was a considerable improvement from the London Scottish match,'' insisted assistant Glasgow coach Gordon McPherson.
''What we are looking for is for the players to step up their display by the same percentage again.''
According to West Hartlepool spokesman Steve Smith there has been a new lease of life within the Teesside club following the appointment of former All Blacks forward Mike Brewer as director of rugby in place of Welsh Test centre Mark Ring. ''Relegation was a big disappointment, but Mike has brought the buzz back to the place,'' enthused Smith.
Hartlepool will have one internationalist in their ranks, the Western Samoan scrum-half Tu Nu'ualitia. Their biggest name, however, will be Liam Botham - the multi-talented son of former cricketing star Ian.
Scotland's Ian Jardine, who was sidelined for almost a year with a pelvic injury, emerged unscathed from forty minutes of action against Sale.
Glasgow will be looking for an hour from the Stirling County man today and, all being well, Jardine should be a starter for the European Cup opener against Ulster at Ravenhill on Friday week.
One of Glasgow's new recruits from the Cook Islands, prop Mike Beckham, will be on from the start , while stand-off Tommy Hayes is likely to figure at some stage of the match.
Glasgow - C Sangster, D Stark, A Bulloch, I Jardine, J Craig, C Little, J Weston, G McIlwham, G Bulloch, M Beckham, G Perrett, C Afuakwah, M Wallace, D McLeish, I Sinclair. Substitutes- G Metcalfe, C Simmers, T Hayes, F Stott, C Docherty, G Isaac, F Wallace, A Ness, A Kittle.
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