THE HERALD REPORTS

Petrie under no illusions about situation

KEVIN FERRIE January 20 2006

Jon Petrie, the captain of Glasgow Warriors, yesterday admitted that jobs are on the line if they fail to recover from a five-match losing streak.
Poised to end a second successive European campaign without a win and having won only three matches this season, Petrie's side have been afflicted by a combination of injuries and off-field problems regarding their facilities.
Petrie, who captained the national side as the recovery from the Matt Williams era began with victories against the Barbarians and Romania when the Australian was sacked last spring, is familiar with emerging from a crisis situation. Against that background, he expressed full confidence in the Glasgow management.
However, he 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.
"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 Petrie.
"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, Petrie 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."
On a personal level, Petrie is among eight Warriors aiming to impress Frank Hadden and the rest of the national team management after being named in Scotland's Six Nations Championship training squad for the three day camp being held next week.
Four of those players – Scott Lawson, Craig Hamilton, Graeme Morrison and Dan Parks – are on the bench as Hugh Campbell, their coach, tries to juggle the need to rest players with the limitations imposed by a combination of injuries and European Cup registration rules.
Glasgow Warriors R Lamont; H O'Hare, A Craig, A Henderson, M Roberts; C Gregor, G Beveridge; K Tkachuk, F Thomson, E Murray, D Turner, G Hayter, S Swindall, J Barclay, J Petrie (cap).
Subs: S Lawson, L Harrison, C Hamilton, G Morrison, S Pinder, D Parks, S Barrow.

This article was posted on 20-Jan-2006, 08:22 by Hugh Barrow.