The Super Series Sprint kicks-off tonight with a Glasgow Warriors A side containing a combination of experienced pros (including a number of full Scotland caps) and academy prospects making their tournament bow against Ayrshire Bulls at Millbrae.
This Warriors side, along with a similar ‘development’ team from Edinburgh, are the two new additions to the tournament for this campaign which has prompted the re-branding from ‘Super6’.
The other Friday night game this weekend sees Stirling Wolves host Boroughmuir Bears at Bridgehaugh, while Watsonians welcome Southern Knights to Myreside tomorrow afternoon at 3pm and Heriot’s take on Edinburgh A at Goldenacre at 5pm. For Warriors, tight-head prop Murphy Walker is making his comeback from the neck injury which ruled him out of Scotland’s recent Six Nations campaign, and with fellow cap Oli Kebble at loose-head prop, plus Murray McCallum on the bench, the ‘pro’ team's strength is in their pack. Meanwhile, several academy prospects who are aligned to Super Series teams – such as inside-centre Duncan Munn (Bears), full-back Christian Townsend and flanker Archie Smeaton (both Bulls), and outside-centre Ben Salmonand winger Logan Jarvie (both Stirling Wolves) and winger Ross McKnight (Watsonians) – have been handed an opportunity with Warriors A.
For the Bulls, former Warriors and Scotland hooker Grant Stewart will be keen to make his presence felt against his old club, with an experienced and fairly settled backline likely to be key to the prospects of a home win in this fixture.
Stirling Wolves finished bottom of the table in the Super6 Championship last Autumn, but interim head coach Eddie Pollock believes he has recruited well and has been impressed by the impact made by his new assistants.
"We’ve brought in experience in Glenn Bryce, Craig Jackson and Ruaridh Knott, to join the core of last seasons side and some excellent young talent in Kyle McGhee, Korie Winters, Lliam Quarm, Ruaraidh Hart and Eric Davey, as well as bringing in Shaun MacDonald and Gregor Smith from our club 1st XV," said Pollock.
"Over the last couple of weeks, we have had competitive hit-outs against Ayrshire Bulls and Southern Knights in preparation for our first competition game. Our full squad has come together and we've been working hard at training. The effort and willingness to learn has been excellent.
"We're really impressed by Sean Kennedy and Duncan Hodge, along with the rest of the coaching team," he added. "They've done an amazing job getting us ready for our first competitive game against Boroughmuir Bears."
Bears, meanwhile, are already feeling stretched with 26 of their 34-string squad available for this match, meaning head coach Graham Shiel has been forced to select two tight-head props on the bench.
