Thursday Round-Up
- 1377
Thursday Round-Up
Gray to return for Glasgow
Scotland lock Jonny Gray is set to return to action for Glasgow when the Pro12 champions step up their bid for a play-off spot against Ulster on Friday.
Gray tore a chest muscle in Scotland's Six Nations win over France, ruling him out of their final match in Ireland.
But along with fly-half Finn Russell, who also missed the Dublin match after concussion, Gray has been declared fit.
"It's great having Jonny back for the run-in," said Warriors forwards coach Dan McFarland.
"While the international players have been away, the guys who have been here have excelled. But Jonny is an excellent player, in my mind a world-class player already at a young age."
Ringrose not ready for Ireland- O'Brien
Sean O'Brien has said that Joe Schmidt was right not to select Leinster centre Garry Ringrose for this years 6 Nations.
Ringrose has excelled for Leinster this season, but O'Brien admits worry for Ringrose if he was selected.
"He's trying to develop him and mind his body. It's different for someone who's had a bit of experience, had a year under his belt," O'Brien says.
"If Garry goes into the Six Nations next year, we'll see a different Garry in terms of his physicality, in terms of his smartness.
"He will be a different player again. He will be a step up from where he is now. You fire him in there this year, I guarantee he gets hurt.
"You've got big centres running down his channel. They're going to run straight into him. Regardless of how talented you are, you're going to get hurt."
O'Brien does believe that Ringrose has the talent to play for Ireland but they should be given time to integrate into the system.
"It's definitely the right idea about what the coaches are doing with these young lads who are phenomenally talented. But there is a way of bringing them into the system.
"If you put Garry in this year, you're taking out an experienced fella like Jared (Payne) or Robbie (Henshaw) or Lukey (Fitzgerald), when he's fit, who has experience, someone who's very physical, someone who's smart.
"You're putting in a young fella because he's playing well for his club. Can he do it at international level? The thing about it is you don't know if he's able to do it at international level.
"You're taking a huge risk. He (Ringrose) will do it at international level. But I think it's the right thing to do with some of these very talented guys, make sure they're coming through the right way and are developed enough to last for Irish rugby."
