Warriors boss Franco Smith confident Euro clash with Racing 92 won’t have to be switched from Scotstoun to Murrayfield despite the big freeze
Franco Smith is confident Glasgow can beat the big freeze and host this weekend’s Champions Cup clash with Racing 92 at Scotstoun.
Temperatures in the area are expected to reach as low as -7C, affecting a pitch that isn’t protected by undersoil heating.
Warriors switched a Challenge Cup tie against Perpignan to Murrayfield two years ago in similar conditions after admitting it wasn’t possible to ‘maintain a safe surface’.
Smith, though, was bullish about this one going ahead as scheduled as his team look to take a step closer to booking a place in the last 16.
The head coach said: ‘Look, we’ve anticipated this, obviously. Already last week, we started covering the pitch and keeping an eye on the temperature.
Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith is confident the game against Racing will go ahead
Smith revealed that Glasgow had been covering the Scotstoun pitch to keep the frost out
‘We covered the pitch on Monday to keep the frost out. It was not about defrosting the pitch. It was about keeping the frost out from the start before the real cold weather came in, and they’ve done a brilliant job with that.
‘I’ve been on the pitch this morning about eight or nine times. The referees have already been in here too. I think it’s even softer now, since we’ve had it covered and there are some heaters on it. The ground staff are doing a tremendous job there.
‘We are excited that the game will be here. Obviously, the alternatives are there, but we are confident. I was told just an hour ago that we are more than confident, and we as players and team are confident to get out there and it will be fine. It will be better than it previously was.’
