As Glasgow Warriors seek to emerge from their mid-winter slump they must tap into the spirit of autumn when their second string put in series of excellent performances, according to senior man Ruaridh Jackson.
It is an organisation that has, down the years, become used to dealing with losing the majority of its first team during international windows, Jackson’s role within the set-up having changed considerably in the course of his two spells there over the past decade and more. Previously the enfant terrible of his generation, a cavalier play-maker whose willingness to take risks could both delight and infuriate, his return has seen him take more of a back seat, under-studying Stuart Hogg as the club’s second string full-back. His 31st birthday looming, that also involves offering some extra guidance to younger squad members.
“I think I try and put some of the wisdom that I’ve gathered through the years on some of the guys through the year anyway,” he explained. “It probably does mean a bit of an added responsibility during this period because you lose a lot of those leaders, (Ryan) Wilson, Hoggy (Stuart Hogg) and people like that. So, there is an added onus on the likes of myself, Fuzzy (Chris Fusaro) and Rob Harley who will be going back and forth, but hopefully we get him.
“Those guys who have been through the wringer, who have been through it all, hopefully we can help lead the young guys, but we’ve also got a culture where young guys can speak up and fight for themselves a little bit. It’s not a hierarchy per se, so the young guys have the confidence. If they think something should be done differently, they are willing to speak up which is a good thing.”
Their recent poor run of form having seen a substantial lead in their Pro14 Conference wiped out to the extent that, now in second spot, they could find themselves out of the play-off spots should they lose heavily to the third-placed Ospreys on Friday evening.
Jackson pointed out, however, that they need only look back to the autumn international window in November, when the narrowest and cruellest of defeats at Munster was followed by a fine win at the Ospreys, a thrashing of Cardiff Blues at Scotstoun and arguably the team’s performance of the season when 14 men beat the Scarlets.
“It wasn’t a fun period over Christmas, the Edinburgh games and then Treviso away,” he admitted.“However, I think this is a great new period for us, because a lot of guys who haven’t been playing in that period and their memories will be from the autumn where we played really well and played some good rugby,” he observed. “So, I think these guys will be chomping at the bit and really fresh, and try correct some of the issues we’ve had over the last period, but also just focus on ourselves and really go and push the boundaries. We want to make sure that come the end of the Six Nations we are in a better position than when we started.”
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