Glasgow Warriors | Preparations gather pace ahead of the new campaign
Share

Next article
Previous article
Got an opinion?
Discuss this article in the comments section or register with the glasgowwarriors.com forum.

Search this site

July 20, 2017

Preparations gather pace ahead of the new campaign

Posted by Editor on July 20, 2017 10:32 AM | No comments | Print | E-mail author

Jamie Bhatti has enjoyed the focus on skills
The Glasgow squad's preparations for the new campaign are gathering pace with the pre-season match against Northampton less than a month away.

Talking to Warriors TV, Adam Ashe and Jamie Bhatti reflected on the first two blocks of pre-season training.

Adam Ashe has a few pre-seasons under his belt, he has been enjoying the variety of the sessions the new coaching team have introduced.

Adam said: "I suppose, for me, what's been nice about this pre-season has been the change - it's been a different make-up for each day.

"It's been good. I enjoy the three weeks training followed by a week or two off structure. It means you come back into the second block feeling refreshed and seeing the benefits of your work. It tends to be that in the second and third week of the block you feel like you're almost going backwards, but your body adapts during the rest period. I've really enjoyed it."

Glasgow's U20 contingent have returned after helping the Scotland to their highest ever finish at the recent World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia and Adam and Jamie have been impressed.

Jamie said: "The U20 boys are still in pretty good shape after coming back, but everyone has been training well. Everyone puts in the hard work to impress the coaches."

Adam added: "The sessions over the past few days have been really good, and people are expressing themselves well with some nice off-loads and touches. The U20s have been enjoying themselves coming back into that."

With a new coaching team at Scotstoun, pre-season has been heavily focused on improving basic skills, with handling and footwork drills to the fore.

Jamie explained: "We've been breaking down our skills a lot - the contact area, footwork, working on things like that rather than 'head down, carry the ball'. It's been good for bigger guys like ourselves, trying to beat players instead of going over the top of them. It's a good thing to add to your game."

The majority of Glasgow's Scotland players are due to return to training on Monday.

"It'll be good to get all of those guys back and have the whole squad link up." said Adam.

"They'll bring that extra level of intensity, and it'll be good to see them too - for me, anyway, it'll have been a couple of months since I've caught up with them."

Attentions are now turning towards the encounter with Northampton in Stirling and, for Adam and Jamie, the venue holds a special significance.

"Jamie and myself both went to the same school and sat next to each other for four years - we go way back!" said Adam.

"We spent a lot of time tussling before school - he used to wind me up!"

"We've both played senior rugby at [Stirling] County too." added Jamie.

"It'll be good to go back in a Glasgow shirt if we get the chance to play in that game."