Heriot's call for a shorter season 'We expect too much from amateur players'

''We are now expecting too much from amateur players,'' said coach Kenny Milne. ''They need a shorter season and clubs should stay amateur and not hold back the development of the districts.''

That will need strong squads, but after an eight-try to nil drubbing of the group winners, the big question for a team like the Hawks is: How are these current Hawks players going to feel when the big boys from the Glasgow squad itself come back?

Still to rejoin the Anniesland side are Chris Simmers, Matt McGrandles, Fergus and Murray Wallace, and Gordon McIlwham.

On the evidence of this display, there are some pretty capable players who might have to sit out matches or play for the seconds. ''We'll be all right,'' said coach Iain Russell. ''There will be injuries, that is one thing we have learned.''

Heriot's, without leading players like Hugh Gilmour, Tammas McVie, Paul Jennings, Graham Dall and Gordon Ross because of injury and Edinburgh's game yesterday, had only No.8 Jonathan Bell, stand-off Phil Smith, and the odd forward drive on their home ground that stood comparison to their bigger, more impressive visitors.

It was uncomfortable watching this game in some ways, in that the Hawks had a plethora of full-time Glasgow players between bench and team, whereas Heriot's were a denuded side that looked to have lost their way and spent much of their time in awe of the Glasgow boys who smashed, ran and accelerated through, round and sometimes even over them.

Steve Begley, Chris Docherty, Gordon Mackay, ably assisted by Andy Ness and Chas Afuakwah, were just far too big and powerful for Heriot's to cope with up front.

A very direct style of rugby with those big forwards running to the side of, and through, rucks opened spaces out wide where Glenn Metcalfe, who had a wonderful game, snatched four tries and the combined speed and urgency of David Wilson and Ally Common in the midfield, with the threat of Gerry Hawkes on the other wing, was just too good for Heriot's.

Cammy Little's sniping when he came off the bench was top drawer.

It was good, modern rugby, allied to their superior power, that saw the Glasgow side through, and I was pleased that they did not take their foot of the gas, and they displayed a touch of badness in this otherwise sterile competition. A rough Glasgow team? Good, don't hold back.

The Hawks were 31-6 up at half-time.

Metcalfe, whose stepping had been a joy, had the first try after a break from Callum MacGregor, Andy Ness grabbed the second, Ally Common went round some tackles for the third, Metcalfe cruised round Commonwealth Games sprinter Elliot Bunney for the fourth, and the fifth try before half-time came from David Wilson.

All of them on the back of concerted forward play, with the Hawks defence holding firm on Heriot's attacks.

If the bludgeoning Hawks pack had been direct in the first half then it came into its own in the second.

Mike Beckham's bulk seemed at home, and Gordon Mackay upped his work-rate for a top-notch game. It was wholly one-sided.

Andy Ness broke, John Mason was through, and Metcalfe grabbed his third. His fourth arrived thanks to lead-up work from MacGregor, Ally Common, and Little, and the powerful New Zealand winger sat up triumphantly amid a pile of bodies to claim it.

The final chapter was Gerry Hawkes romping in from nigh on 50 yards to emphasise the gulf.

It was good for Glasgow, but there will be much harder opponents than this along the way.

Scorers: Heriot's - P Smith 2p. Glasgow - Metcalfe 4t, Ness 1t, Common 1t, Wilson 1t, Hawkes 1t, MacGregor 1p 5c.

Heriot's - D Proctor; E Bunney, V Payot, J Melvin, C Keenan; P Smith, D Fowler; J Bryce, C O'Kane, M Livingstone; D Boswell, S Gilmour, S Elliot, J Bell, S Taylor. Replacements - D Lunnon-Wood for Melvin (56min), C Turnbull for O'Kane (40).

Glasgow Hawks - J Mason; G Metcalfe A Common, D Wilson; G Hawkes; C MacGregor, S Simmers; D Porte, C Docherty, M Blackie, C Afuakwah, S Begley, S Hutton, A Ness, G Mackay. Replacements - J McLeod for Mason (70), M Beckham for Blackie (45), C Little for Simmers (60).

Referee - Mr I Ramage (Berwick).

q TOMMY Hayes, Glasgow's Cook Islands' stand-off, has ended weeks of speculation by signing a new contract with the city side for next season's Heineken Cup campaign.

Hayes, 23, who arrived in Glasgow just before the start of this season's campaign from Waikato, has signed an SRU deal which will mean that he will again form the lynchpin of Glasgow's European effort.