“The fans were unbelievable” – Cummings

• 3 Sep 2021

The result might not have gone the way of his side, but for Glasgow Warriors second-rower Scott Cummings there was only one place to start in his post-match reaction.

With 3,464 fans cheering their side on from the stands for the first time since February 2020, the Warrior Nation certainly made a start on making up for lost time.

“The fans were unbelievable,” Cummings told glasgowwarriors.org.

“When you’re on your own line, hearing the fans shouting for you really gives you that extra lift.

“It’s been so long since we had them cheering us on from the stands. They’re a big part of why we do what we do. They put so much into supporting the club, and we play for them when we step onto that field. It wasn’t the result we wanted, but there’s a lot we can build on as we move forward.”

With none of the Warriors currently at Scotstoun having been involved in summer international action, tonight’s match marked the first outing since June’s victory over Leinster for the majority of the matchday squad.

Cummings was one of 13 Warriors to come off the bench at the 52-minute mark, with the Scotland international enjoying getting some minutes back into his legs.

After 559 days the gates of Scotstoun have reopened to fans!

Oh how we’ve missed you Warrior Nation ?⚫ pic.twitter.com/a7GdhbGlcY
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) September 3, 2021

“It’s really good to get back out there,” said the second-rower.

“A lot of the boys haven’t played for a while, and it’s good to be back together, get back out there and play some rugby.

“There was a lot that we did well out there. We’re always going to be rusty in the first match of pre-season, so it’s about trying to build on that as we move towards the new season. We created a lot of good opportunities, and we probably weren’t accurate enough at times – we probably left two or three scores out there.

“We’re definitely optimistic about the direction we’re moving, but we know we need to sharpen up on a few areas ahead of the Ulster match [the opening game of the 2021/22 season] in a few weeks.”

Before then, however, Danny Wilson’s men will hit the road for a clash with Worcester Warriors at Sixways next Friday. It will be another test for the Scotstoun side as their preparations for the new United Rugby Championship season continues, but one that Cummings and company are more than up for.

“A lot of guys tonight were getting their first run out for the club, guys like Murphy [Walker] and Max [Williamson] for example,” said Cummings.

“People are taking their opportunities to put their hand up and doing what they can to push for selection.

“The Worcester match is another chance for us to try a few combinations and give boys a shot, as well as getting another 80 minutes under our belt before we go into that Ulster match.”