1997–98 Glasgow Warriors season


The 1997-98 season is the second in the history of the Glasgow Warriors as a professional side. During this season the young professional side competed as Glasgow Rugby.
This season saw Glasgow Rugby compete in the competitions: the Scottish Inter-District Championship and the European Champions Cup, the Heineken Cup.

Season Overview

Disquiet grows

Notwithstanding the 'Gang of Four' pressing for the club teams to be used in Europe instead of the district teams, further disquiet was building against Kevin Greene's dual role as Glasgow Hawks coach and Glasgow Warriors coach. The matter was brought to a head when Greene signed Tommy Hayes for the Glasgow side and Kilmarnock RFC complained that they had not been given an opportunity to bid for the player; as one club team in the district would be assigned the player when not in use by the professional Glasgow side.
Hayes was later assigned the Glasgow Hawks club; Greene's club side.

European highs and lows

Getting out of the Heineken Cup pool stage was extremely positive for the Glasgow side. However the manner of the defeat in the play-off for the Quarter finals by Leicester Tigers brought further grist to the mill as far as the 'Gang of Four' were concerned. Such was the ease of the win by Leicester that one of their players Dean Richards went off-pitch for a toilet break in the middle of the match without the Tigers replacing him.
The result though probably wasn't helped by the prior announcement that the Leicester Tigers match would be Greene's last in charge of Glasgow. To the SRU this season's European results showed that their current model of professionalism wasn't working and they resolved to change the structure of the newly professional game in Scotland. The effects of this resolve were to be seen in the following season.

Ulster interest in Greene

Ulster Rugby made overtures to Kevin Greene about being their new Director of Rugby, straight after Glasgow's defeat of Ulster in the Challenge Cup. Greene however turned them down, preferring to go home to his native New Zealand. He had already agreed with Jim Telfer that he would act as an 'agent' for Glasgow Warriors and Scotland in New Zealand by helping out the training of the Silver Thistles. Glasgow later used Greene on the same basis for their 'academy side': the Glasgow Thistles.
"The job description from Ulster landed on my desk this week after they spoke to me at Scotstoun when the game was over. They said they needed a new direction," said Greene. "I am flattered, but I won't be taking up the position. I spoke to Jim Telfer this week and agreed that I will stay in Scotland to see Glasgow's game with Leicester through, and then go back to New Zealand.
"We are keen that the Silver Thistles tourists carry on, and we are to investigate the possibility of taking coaches over there as well to learn what they do. I suppose, to some extent, I will be an agent for Scotland back home."

New coach

Another New Zealander was brought in to coach Glasgow Rugby. Keith Robertson was ear-marked by the SRU's Jim Telfer earlier in the year as a potential candidate for Glasgow when Robertson's Otago Highlanders team toured the UK. He took over Glasgow in November 1997.

Strength and Fitness and the Elite Development Programme

David Jordan, the chief executive of GDRU, acknowledges: "The result against Leicester told us that we have still much to do. We were found wanting in a number of departments, particularly our overall fitness and strength. It is vital that we recognise where out weaknesses are."
Glasgow issued an Action Plan on how it planned to resolve those weaknesses. It stated: "The Glasgow and District Rugby Union will be aggressively looking beyond Scotland to identify players to enhance and improve the performance of the team. Priority will be given to identifying players with Scottish eligibility. The district will also take full advantage of the use of two non-EU international players."
"The GDRU will utilise the services of a weight training specialist. Every squad member will be given one-to-one training and will work to individually tailored programmes."
In other areas of physical conditioning the plan envisages that there will be a player appraisal programme. "It will be based on setting individual training, fitness and dietary targets. Players will be expected to do training outwith normal squad sessions and be responsible for achieving the targets set," says the action plan.
Glasgow's initial squad of players for next season will be selected next month and between then and March will be the start of what the plan calls the Elite Development Programme that will concentrate on the players who "have the physical and mental ability to represent Glasgow and the Scottish Rugby Union."
"This is the key to the long-term success of Scottish rugby," says the action plan which makes it clear that better identification of talent and an increase in playing numbers are priorities in the next few years.

Team

Coaches

Chairman: Ken Crichton

Vice-Chairman: George Blackie

Convenor / Team Manager: Hamish Fyfe

Chief Executive: David Jordan

Administrative Executive: Bill McMurtrie

Committee: Gordon Ash, Norry Boyle, Ewan Cameron, John Dyer, Alasdair Graham, Tom Morrice,
Bill Nolan, Willie Talbot,
Dick Thomas

Secretary: Victoria Mount

Squad

Academy players

A 22 strong group of age-grade Glasgow District players - known as the Glasgow Thistles - were sent to New Zealand for rugby training under the aegis of Kevin Greene in February 1998.
The 22 Glasgow Thistles: Gillon Armstrong, Colin Bartwicki, Stuart Bryce, Stuart Caulfield, Scott Chassels, Rory Couper, Hugh Fulton, Craig Hamilton, Rory Kerr, Douglas Lyall, Richard Maxton, Andrew McGeoch, Ian McInroy, Eric Milligan, Iain Monaghan, Craig Murdoch, Euan Murray, Chris Pothan, Colin Stewart, Gordon Tyler, Jan Vos, Martin Yorston.

Player statistics

During the 1997-98 season, Glasgow have used 29 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and points scored by each player.

Staff movements

Coaches

Personnel In

Academy promotions

None

Player transfers

In

Pre-season and friendlies

Match 1

Glasgow - C Sangster ; D Stark, A Bulloch, C Simmers, J Craig ; C Little, F Stott ; G Isaac, G Bulloch captain, G McIlwham, S Begley, G Perrett, F Wallace, D McLeish, G Mackay. Replacements - J Weston for Stott, M Norval for Begley, G Metcalfe for Stark, J McLaren for A Bulloch, all 40 mins, A Perrie for Isaac, A Ness for Mackay, E Cossey for Little.
London Scottish - D Lee; K Milligan, R Davies, R Eriksson, G Thompson; J Cameron, S Cook; P Johnston, J Allan, P Burnell, E Jones, R Hunter, C Tarbuck, M Watson, S Holmes. Replacements - C Smith for Thompson, C Morley for Cook, T Jankovich for Tarbuck, I McAusland for Cameron.

Match 2

Sale Sharks - J Mallinder ; C Yates, J Baxendell, A Hadley, T Beim; S Mannix, R Smith; P Smith, S Diamond, A Smith, C Murphy, D Baldwin, P Sanderson, D Erskine, D O'Grady. Replacements: S Howarth, K Ellis, D Williamson, M Driver, M Kirk, A Morris.
Glasgow - C Sangster; D Stark, A Bulloch, I Jardine, G Metcalfe; C Little, F Stott; G Isaac, G Bulloch, G McIlwham, M Norval, G Perrett, M Wallace, D McLeish, I Sinclair. Replacements: C Docherty, F Wallace, C Simmers, J McLaren, M McGrandles, J Craig, D Ablett, G Mackay, C Afuakwah, A Perrie, J Weston.

Match 3

West Hartlepool - Farrell; Cavey, Botham, Connolly, John; Benson, Nu'ualitia; Sparks, Challenor, Hathaway, Webb, Schrader, Hood, Ponton, Hyde. Replacements - Knowles for Benson, Peacock for Challenor, Jones for Cavey.
Glasgow - Sangster; Stark, A Bulloch, Jardine, Craig; Hayes, Weston; McIlwham, G Bulloch, Beckham, Afuakwah, Perrett, M Wallace, McLeish, Sinclair. Replacements - Kittle for Beckham, Simmers for Jardine, Stott for Weston, Ness for McLeish, Metcalfe for Craig, Jardine for Hayes.

Match 4

Caledonia Reds - Caledonia Reds - Shepherd; Renton, Rouse, Carruthers, Longstaff; Easson, Black; Penman, Scott, Manson, White, Grimes, McIvor, Flockhart, Waite. Substitutes - Fraser for Carruthers, Hayter for Waite, Herrington for Penman, Officer for Rouse, Penman for Manson.
Glasgow - Simmers; Stark, Bulloch, McGrandles, Metcalfe; Hayes, Stott; McIlwham, Bulloch, Beckham, Afuakwah, Perrett, F Wallace, McLeish, M Wallace. Shaw for McLeish. Substitutes - Kittle for McIlwham, Ablett for A Bulloch, Porte for Beckham, Docherty for G Bulloch.

Match 5

Glasgow - Sangster; Fraser, Bulloch, Collins, Metcalfe; Hayes, Stott ; McIlwham, Docherty, Beckham ; Norval, Perrett; F Wallace, M Wallace, Shaw.
ACT Brumbies - Kafer; Nasalio, Swan, Birch, Todd; McMullen, Cordingley; Zammit, Paul, Moore, Morahan, Harrison, Plenty, Jacques, Fenukitau.

European Champions Cup

The previous year's Scottish Inter-District Championship produced a tight finish and Glasgow were just pipped to first place by Caledonia Reds. The second place achieved in the Scottish Inter-District was enough for Glasgow to be entered in the Heineken Cup for the new season 1997-98.
The pool matches saw Glasgow grouped alongside London Wasps; with former player Kenny Logan now starring for the English side. Logan was to put Glasgow to the sword over the two matches, scoring 3 tries against his old team. Nevertheless, Glasgow did well enough to get out the group and snatch a quarter final play-off place. However they were soundly beaten by the Leicester Tigers and their matches against English opposition showed the gulf of professionalism that then existed between Scotland and England.
In the pool matches teams received
Winner of each pool advances to quarter-final stage
Advance to quarter-final playoffs

Pool 2

TeamPWDLTries forTries againstTry diffPoints forPoints againstPoints diffPts
Wasps660031121924310413912
Glasgow63031415−1132167−356
Swansea62041516−1157161−44
Ulster6105623−1795195−1002

Results

Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Quarter final play-offs

Scottish Inter-District Championship

For 1997-98 season the Scottish Inter-District Championship was sponsored by Inter-City Trains. Hence the Championship became known as the Inter-City and the Cup won became the Inter-City Cup.

1997-98 League Table

TeamPWDLPFPA+/-Pts
Edinburgh32017655+214
Glasgow32016749+184
Caledonia Reds32014954-54
Border Reivers30033468-340

Results

Round 1
Round 2
Round 3

Sponsorship

Canterbury