Peeblesshire News | Sport | Battle on for Euro Place

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 3rd March, 2006 13:17

Battle on for Euro Place

CHRIS Cusiter and Gregor Townsend return to the Border Reivers side to face Glasgow tonight, Friday, at Firhill in arguably one of the most important games of the season.

The Reivers have also been bolstered by the return of their other Calcutta Cup heroes, Ross Ford and Scott MacLeod while Bruce Douglas is rested.

Coach Steve Bates welcome back the internationalists, but said that it was sensible to rest Bruce Douglas.

“Glasgow did a fantastic job in winning in Munster and we did not play well against the Ospreys. We will need to look to improve on that performance. It is a big league positional game and a big swing if we win it,” he said.

“We are looking forward to playing at Firhill. I am told it is nice and flat and it should be an exciting match.

“I hope on the back of the international win over England that it will want people to come and support both teams”

Reivers and Glasgow are battling it out for next year’s second Heineken European Cup place with the Borders currently only one point ahead.

Townsend, who was injured earlier in the season against Llanelli Scarlets, made his comeback for Melrose a month ago, but only lasted 30 minutes before leaving the field with a shoulder knock.

While Bates is pleased to have his capped players back, he would not have been too worried about it if they had not been.

“I have always said that we are here to help Scotland and if we have to do without them any time, that’s ok by me.

“We suffered in Leinster because of that, but we have to help the international team.”

Looking ahead to the Warriors game, he said: ‘This is a crucial match for both sides and that will add spice to the game.

“We were disappointed with our performance against the Ospreys and we will be looking this week to iron out our problems.

But it will be tough. Glasgow have won two of their last three matches against Bourgoin in the European Cup and at table-topping Munster in the Celtic League.

This is just the second Celtic League match to be played at Firhill following their comprehensive 46-6 demolition of Edinburgh there in December.

Reivers have suffered successive reversals at the hands of Leinster and the Ospreys in the Celtic League. The Reivers have lost their last six away matches in all competitions since being L'Aquila in Italy in the European Challenge Cup on October 22.

The two sides have met on six previous occasions in the Celtic League with the Reivers winning twice, including the 24-13 victory at Netherdale on Hogmanay.

Reivers are running a supporters’ bus to the game leaving from Selkirk at 4 p.m. and Galashiels at 4.15 p.m. Reivers are looking for as many fans as possible to get behind the team.

Fans will also get the chance to see the Calcutta Cup, which will be on display at the game and not only that, as well as all the Celtic League rugby action on the pitch, supporters will be treated to a battle display from Swords of Dalriada, a historical re-enactment group based in Ayrshire, plus competitions with some great prizes and a supporters’ quiz after the final whistle.

Tickets are available in advance from www.scottishrugby.org or by calling 0131 346 5100 or you can buy them on the night of the game from the turnstiles at the ground (silver section tickets: £12 for adults, £5 for concessions (over 60s, under 18s, students)). Gold section tickets are available (£20, no concessions) from the merchandise trailer behind the Jackie Husband stand.

The Borders team is: S. Moffat; S. Danielli, B. MacDougall, C. MacRae and N. Walker; G. Townsend and C. Cusiter; P. Thomson, R. Ford, G. Cross, S. MacLeod, O. Palepoi, K. Brown, S. Sititi and A. Miller. Subs: S. Scott, T. McGee, J. Dalziel, S. Gray, B. McKerchar, J. King and C. Hore.

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