THE HERALD REPORTS


Morrison hoping for max performance against UlsterKEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer May 03 2008
CommentGraeme Morrison is looking forward to showing the man who gave him his first taste of Test rugby just how far he has come in the intervening years when Glasgow Warriors meet Matt Williams' Ulster today.

The centre forms part of an exciting looking new midfield combination with Max Evans in a squad that boasts Daryl Gibson, the former All Black, and Andy Henderson, who has won more than 50 caps for Scotland, and Morrison knows this is a great opportunity.

"Max and I have spent the week getting to know how one another play. He is a really attacking player, so hopefully we can strike up a partnership," said Morrison. He himself has done well to establish himself, first in the Warriors team before reclaiming a Scotland place this season, and he has visibly grown in confidence as the season goes on.

advertisementIt has, however, taken him a long time to justify the confidence shown in him by Williams, Scotland's then head coach, when he capped him during the 2004 tour of Australia.

"I'm always going to be grateful to Matt for giving me that opportunity and I'm looking forward to seeing him again," said Morrison of the Australian who returned to the northern hemisphere midway through this season to take the reins at Ulster. "It's always good to come up against people you've worked with before, but it was also Matt who dropped me, so I'm hoping to show him how my game has developed."

Williams was a bitter man on quitting Scotland, even suggesting that nationality played a part in his departure after he won only three of 17 Tests in charge, but Morrison's head coach, Sean Lineen, New Zealand born and one of the most popular figures in the Scottish game, yesterday denied there was any added edge to this match.

"I haven't really thought about it," said Lineen. "How-ever, Ulster do seem to be a more motivated side since he joined them."

This article was posted on 3-May-2008, 07:06 by Hugh Barrow.