I always loved the 1872 Cup games as a player – and this one will be a derby with a difference on Sunday.
It’s a bold call from Glasgow to take their home leg to Hampden, but I think it will be brilliant to have such a large crowd for this fixture and most of them supporting Warriors.
I’ve seen Sean Everitt saying it’s a leveller for his team moving it away from Scotstoun, and I guess if you’re Edinburgh you’ll take all the help you can get given the way both teams have started the URC season.
But I think Glasgow are on a different level at the moment. They relish the big games. I don’t think they’ll be worrying too much about this one and will fancy themselves to take a lead to Murrayfield for the second leg.
Having said that, I also think the occasion will bring out the best in Edinburgh. This one will mean more to them, because what an opportunity it is to get one over on Glasgow.
They must be sitting down the other end of the M8 really frustrated watching their big rivals lifting the URC trophy and going well again this season. They won’t admit it but quite a few of the Edinburgh guys will be a bit jealous of what’s been happening at Glasgow.
Glasgow have already shown their class by winning last season’s URC trophy
Hampden is the venue for Sunday’s 1872 Cup clash between Glasgow and Edinburgh
Glasgow won last December’s first leg of the derby double header at Scotstoun
Moving to Hampden maybe takes a little bit of home advantage away from Franco Smith and his players given how strong they’ve been at Scotstoun. But you only have to balance that with how poor Edinburgh have been away from home. Their record isn’t great, to say the least.
And for the Glasgow boys it’s a chance to play a home game in front of a much bigger crowd. Scotstoun’s been brilliant for the club for over a decade now but only holds just under 8,000. This time they get to play in front of more than 25,000, and most of them will be Glasgow fans so that can only be a help for my old team.
They should create a really good atmosphere. Scots rockers Skerryvore are playing as well to help make it a bit of a special occasion and that will only add to things.
I’ve only been to Hampden a couple of times before, once to see a Scotland football game and then for a Coldplay concert a few years ago with my big pal, John Barclay.
So I’m really intrigued to see how it works for rugby, what sort of atmosphere can be generated and how the players cope with the surface and the change of surroundings.
Glasgow go into the game on the back of a defeat to Toulon but they probably should have won that one. In the URC they’ve been really strong and moving away from Scotstoun shouldn’t affect them too much.
Edinburgh will be confident after a really good win against Bayonne in the Challenge Cup and will be looking to see if they can finally get a result away from home, too, like all the best teams do. They have a strong squad and probably should be higher up the table than their results show but you’ve got to do it on the day and this will be another massive challenge for them to prove their mettle. If they turn up on the day it could make for a tighter encounter than some people will be expecting.
I played in quite a few of the derbies as a player and always relished them. They were always my favourite games.
Former Glasgow star Ryan Wilson says the derby matches were his favourite games
Wilson had his fair share of flashpoints in fixture, including this one with PIerre Schoeman
Wilson, above right, is looking forward to seeing Sione Tuipulotu take on brother Mosese
The fact we knew so many of the Edinburgh guys, either from Scotland camp or just from playing each other so often, added extra spice. Some of the players say it’s a bit weird going up against your mates, and maybe they feel they have to hold back a bit, but not for me.
I loved that we knew so much about them as individuals and used to wind them up about things as the match was going on!
I was always about the mind games and getting into an opponent’s head. And you always knew what buttons to press when you knew someone on a personal level.
Duhan van der Merwe used to tell me I was a nightmare on the field anytime Glasgow took on Edinburgh but it was mostly just banter and you could have a bit of a laugh about it afterwards.
There should be a few interesting battles all over the pitch on Sunday but the one I’m really looking forward to is the Tuipulotu brothers going at each other in midfield – assuming they’re both involved.
Sione told me he’s never faced Mosese in a competitive match before so that ought to be really special. They’re a close family but I can imagine that once the first whistle goes they’ll be getting torn into each other as if it were anyone else. It should be tasty, and whichever team gets the win gets to enjoy Christmas more.
I’ll be there on Sunday with my Premier Sports hat on and I’m really looking forward to working at a different stadium. Barclay will be there, too, being pulled towards Edinburgh, with Chris Paterson straight down the middle as always. I’ll do my best to stay neutral but it’s never easy whenever these fixtures roll around. It should be a cracker.
* Ryan Wilson will be part of the Premier Sports team bringing all the live action from the biggest Scottish rugby event of the season as Glasgow Warriors’ derby fixture against Edinburgh Rugby in the 1872 Cup is be played at Hampden Park for the first time in the club’s history. Join Connie McLaughlin, John Barclay, Ryan Wilson, Chris Paterson, Rory Hamilton and Jenny Drummond for a big Scottish rugby showcase in the heart of Glasgow live on Premier Sports 1 from 2pm. Visit www.premiersports.tv for more information. Every URC festive rugby fixture will be shown live on Premier Sports.
