The winger for Edinburgh, Darcy Graham, is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to host Glasgow at Murrayfield this Saturday, having found the recent Hampden match uninspiring.
To draw larger attendance, Glasgow Warriors relocated their inter-city derby fixture from their smaller Scotstoun venue to the country’s main football stadium, a decision made both the previous weekend and in the prior year.
However, Graham expresses a dislike for Hampden and instead favors competing at the premier rugby arena, where his team has emerged victorious in the past two encounters of this rivalry.
“Yes, this will boost our morale,” he remarked concerning the upcoming match against their cross-city opponents at Murrayfield.
“Returning here feels more comfortable. It’s simply a superior venue, offering a more vibrant ambiance compared to Hampden. Therefore, I’m thrilled at the prospect of more than 30,000 supporters being present, and our aim is to perhaps approach 40,000 by Saturday.”
Edinburgh seeks to overcome a 12-point disadvantage in their pursuit of securing their initial 1872 Cup triumph since the 2021-22 campaign, following their 24-12 defeat in a grueling contest held at Hampden.
“That game was quite exasperating,” Graham stated. “Collectively, as a squad, we experienced immense vexation.”
“However, we’ve allowed ourselves a few days to dwell on it, and now we’re ready to refocus and, with any luck, rectify certain issues this coming weekend.”
When queried about the feasibility of defeating a team of Glasgow’s quality by over 12 points, Graham responded: “Absolutely. Should we manage to score an early try, it would significantly open up the match.”
“Primarily, though, our focus is on securing victory in this match – the championship points hold immense importance. Subsequently, whatever unfolds will simply unfold.”
“We’ll consider those specifics nearer the moment, but fundamentally, it’s solely about endeavoring to win this encounter. Our true objective is to secure five points from this fixture.”
“We understand what to anticipate from Glasgow: they are a formidable squad, performing strongly, and exhibiting excellent cohesion. Their roster boasts elite players throughout, meaning we must maintain peak performance from the very start until the final whistle.”
“It’s imperative that we step onto the field and execute our offensive strategies; this has been a major area of focus for us leading into this weekend, as we are confident in our defensive capabilities. The key is how we integrate this with our attacking play and demonstrate greater precision in scoring opportunities.”
