GLASGOW WARRIORS captain Ryan Wilson reckons his team have shocked new head coach Dave Rennie with their unyielding pursuit of perfection.
The Scotstoun outfit have got the better of any opponent with the temerity to stand in their way so far this season, but during the first few weeks of the campaign Rennie made a point of discussing the short-comings of his side rather than focus on the positives.
The natural conclusion to be drawn at the time was that Rennie was keen to keep the pressure on the squad in order to cajole them onto even greater deeds of derring-do, but it now seems that he was merely reflecting the tone of the camp.
“The boss [Rennie] said he can’t believe what perfectionists we are. We are getting five points against teams and we are disappointed. It’s just the way the players in this group are,” said Wilson.
“We want perfection. We want to be playing well. We are up there defensively – but I still think we can do better. We have things to work on.”
“We got five [league] points there [on Friday night] and we are still thinking about what we could have done better. I don’t think many teams look at it that way – so its a good way to be.”
George Turner – Glasgow hooker is supported by Ryan Wilson as he is hauled down during the Pro 14 Cheethas v Glasgow Warriors held at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on October 6, 2017. Image: ©Frikkie Kapp / www.fotosportuk.photshelter.comThe Warriors’ most recent success was against Guinness PRO14 new boys Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, which extended the team’s proud record as the only unbeaten team in any of Europe’s top three professional leagues this season to six games – but Wilson and his cohorts now face a tough week getting back to full match fitness after a grueling journey home.
The team set off as soon as possible after Friday’s game on a four to five-hour bus trip to Johannesburg, then had a day to kill before embarking on a 14-hour flight back to Scotland last [Sunday] night. With a clash against reigning English Aviva Premiership champions Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on the cards next Saturday night, it is hard to escape the feeling that the Scots have been handed a bum deal.
“It is a heck of an ask but we’ll do everything right. We’re heading back now, we should do all right in business class, get a bit of a kip. We’ll go back, recover well and get our heads down and work. With the group we’ve got I definitely believe we can go down there and give them a good run for their money and win,” said Wilson, clearly looking to rise above any tittle-tattle which might deflect attention away from the job in hand.
“We can definitely play a lot better [than we did on Friday night] but we are finding ways to win and that is the sign of a good team, which can grind teams down, keep them close and find a way to win.”
“We’re certainly doing that at the moment but I think we have only clicked once, against Munster.”
The Warriors can definitely do with recreating the form they showed in the Munster encounter next weekend when they take on the best England has to offer.