January 20, 2006

JP under no illusions about situation at Glasgow

Posted by Editor on January 20, 2006 09:33 AM | One comment | Print | E-mail author

Jon Petrie knows Glasgow must halt their slide in form
Glasgow Warriors' skipper Jon Petrie has warned that jobs are on the line if they fail to recover from a five-match losing streak.

With Glasgow having won only three matches this season, JP admitted that the form which has seen them slide down the Celtic League and fail to record a victory in the Heineken Cup in either of the last two seasons, is a serious threat to the future of all in the organisation.

"I think everyone is confident in the way we are trying to play and what we're trying to do as a side so we're happy with that for the rest of the season and obviously whatever goes on in the close season we have to deal with that," he said in The Herald.

"We're going along just now as if we're sticking with the coaching team as it is. We have to feel pressure, though. That's what top level rugby is about.

"Professional rugby is a multi-million pound business and we are playing for people's careers and livelihoods. It is a results based business and everyone's jobs are on the line," he added.

The captain is among many trying to find an answer to the inconsistency of a side that has comprehensively beaten Celtic League leaders Munster and registered the competition's biggest win of the season when they scored 46 points against Edinburgh last month.

"It has been classic Glasgow: play like legends one week then perhaps sit back and think that it's automatically going to happen," said JP.

"I have absolutely no doubt we are a good enough side to do it [win regularly] so it must be a mental thing. It makes me look at myself and ask what I am doing wrong and I am sure everyone is doing that."
While Sunday's final European Cup match of the season is in effect meaningless, then, JP recognised this meeting with Bourgoin, the last team Glasgow beat in this competition more than three years ago, is hugely significant.

"This is not a dead rubber for us," he said. "Our results have been poor and we haven't won in the European Cup for a long time. We don't want to be the whipping boys of European rugby, which I think a lot of people see us as just now.

"This is a huge game for us. Everyone realises that at the club and we need to go out and prove a few points on Sunday."

Comments
Posted by Jim on January 25, 2006 01:01 PM | Reply to this comment

A reaslistic view from JP indeed. Something perhaps JP, Hugh, Sean & Shade should consider?

Get the video of the Munster vs Sale game out the cupboard, sit the squad down and watch it in close detail.

Watch how Chabal was engulfed and driven back, watch how O'Gara exhausted the Sale Pack, pay close attention to the highly competative attitude possesed by every Munster player, and be impressed with the way the Munster tight Five took their responsibilities. Add all this to the blistering speed and vision from the backs and ask yourself why YOU - the Warriors, humped Munster earlier in the season.

The real reason... Munster KNOW they are good and THOUGHT that just turning up at Hughenden was enough.

In parallel, the Warriors ARE good, but don't always recognise it, but nevertheless fall into the same trap as Munster, (following a decent result), and think just turning up is enough...the dispaly at Netherdale being a very sorry case in point.

Glasgow have shown the same kind of attitude as Munster did at the weekend, but on only 3 or 4 occasions. Munster however, seldom have performances such as those I have witnessed from Glasgow at Kingston Park, Netherdale and worse still, at home.

Guys look at your performances against Munster, Edinburgh, and at Ravenhill, and believe you can do it! As Individuals you have fantastic talent, the team effort should therefore be even better than the individual parts.

So...with a slack handfull of games to go, find another gear, get the attitude to the levels you saw Munster with against Sale, and let's get up that table and into Europe next year.

The Munster - Sale game proved that the Celtic League can be a better standard than the Premiership...let's make the warriors amongst the best of the best.

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