WITH games running out in the Guinness Pro14, Glasgow Warriors players have set up their own mini league to keep tabs on how they are performing over the Six Nations window when the club's top players are away on international duty.
The last time they tried the experiment was back in November and they were happy enough with 16 out of a possible 20 points. But Scott Cummings, the lock who played his 50th game for the club last week at the age of just 22, accepts they are probably going to have to do even better in the current period, including tomorrow's danger match against Connacht.
"We look at the people who are in our competition and we have our own table against them," he said.
"When the Scotland players are away we know that no matter who is in the jersey we are going to represent it well and it does not matter if it is your first cap, your 50th or your 200th with Rob Harley. Everyone is there to play for that jersey.
"We never rely on just one team. We know that when people drop out we have very capable people coming in. A lot of people will say ‘it’s young guys, are you nervous about that?’ but they are people who have been training with us all year.
"We are a young group when the internationalists are away but we know we have the quality to play the same brand of rugby."
The problem for Glasgow is that, unlike last season, when they were well clear in their Pro14 conference, this time they are trailing Munster who have an easier run-in. Their rivals might slip up once and let Glasgow in but they are unlikely to do so twice.
Which means, he says, no repeat of the mental switch-off that allowed Cardiff Blues back into the game last week.
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