Hampden, Sibling Rivalry & the Mental Battle

A crowd of about 25,000 is expected at Hampden on Sunday

URC: Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh

Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow
Date: Sunday, 22 December
Time: 15:00 GMT
Coverage: Listen live on BBC Sounds and follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.

Glasgow Warriors Look to Extend Dominance in 1872 Cup

Round one of the 1872 Cup sees Glasgow Warriors hosting Edinburgh at Hampden Park. The reigning champions are firm favorites against their eighth-placed rivals, having won four of their last five encounters. Franco Smith’s Warriors lead the URC in key metrics:

Top Points Scorers
Joint-Top Try Scorers
Defenders Beaten: Glasgow lead the league in this category.

Their dominance extends to clean breaks, offloads, and slightly higher tackle and line-out success rates. With such form, they’re poised to make it five wins in their last six meetings with Edinburgh.

The Hampden Factor: Neutral Territory or Advantage?

Hampden Park, a departure from Glasgow’s fortress at Scotstoun, adds intrigue to this clash. With 25,000 tickets sold, the commercial move is a success, but it introduces uncertainties:

Glasgow’s outstanding home record at Scotstoun provides reliability.
Edinburgh’s poor away form (11 losses in their last 16 games) may be mitigated by playing in neutral territory.

Duhan and Darcy: Can the Star Wingers Deliver?

Scotland’s top try-scorers, Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham, have struggled to replicate their Test form in the 1872 Cup:

Van der Merwe: 1 try in his last 10 games against Glasgow.
Graham: 2 tries in 12 games, both in a single match.

Their inability to shine in this fixture stems partly from Edinburgh’s historical lack of quality distributors at 10 and midfield. Both wingers will need to rediscover their scoring touch to challenge Glasgow.

Weakened Warriors Still Resilient

Glasgow won last season's 1872 Cup — Glasgow won last season’s 1872 Cup

Franco Smith’s squad has faced challenges with injuries and absences, including Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey, and Josh McKay. Despite this, Glasgow’s depth remains formidable, while Edinburgh approach the game closer to full strength.

Key players to watch:

Kyle Steyn: Returning to lead Glasgow with his brilliant decision-making and reliability.
Sione Tuipulotu vs. Mosese Tuipulotu: The sibling rivalry could be a highlight, with Mosese aiming to exploit any weaknesses in his elder brother’s game.

The Verdict

Glasgow’s consistency and resilience give them the edge, even with a depleted squad. Edinburgh’s inconsistency and inability to deliver in attritional battles make them hard to trust, despite their potential. Unless Edinburgh can find their best form, Glasgow should edge a close contest and maintain their dominance in the 1872 Cup.