Latest news with #OllieSmith
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
What did we learn from Scotland's win over Maori All Blacks?
Head coach Gregor Townsend was delighted to see Scotland's summer tour "start on a positive" with a 29-26 win over Maori All Blacks in New a hard-fought non-cap international, the visitors' tries came from Harry Paterson, Arron Reed and two either side of the interval from George lead dwindled to three points with 10 minutes to go but a largely callow team held on under some fierce pressure."The Maori are a quality side and we decided to put a team out that wasn't as experienced knowing that it'll be a great development and learning experience for them," said Townsend."But we also wanted to win this game and we're so pleased that we did and how we set that win up in the first half – how clinical we were. "And then the pressure around set-piece and our defensive effort at the end saw us through. So, we're really pleased that the tour starts on a positive."So what were the key takeaways for Scotland from a bruising contest in Whangarei? Smith shows best on Scotland return It was hard to pick a player of the match given the gladiatorial efforts in defence, but it was Ollie Smith's contribution in attack that means he was the cream of the first assist came at a time where Scotland were struggling to break down the Maoris blitz defence, but his perfectly weighted kick put Paterson second, another stab in behind, was another great grubber and set up Reed. He managed both of these feats despite being lined up for several terrifying this after 21 months in absentia through injury. Scotland aren't blessed with depth in the back three right now, making his return timely. Onyeama-Christie adds weight to starting argument It almost seems cruel that at the age of 26 Andy Onyeama-Christie only has eight Scotland his best, there is very little to choose between him and Jamie Ritchie, Rory Darge, or any of the plethora of Scotland's back-row Smith, this was his return to the international stage after a horrendous injury and, also like Smith, he made a faultless transition back to the big matched the Maoris ferocious physicality, noised up his opposition and was busier than an ant at a picnic. The kind of player fans take to instantly. Missed chances to put the game to bed The stats at half-time showed that the Maoris had dominated ball possession, territory on the field, metres made - yet it was the Scots who led were, for the first 40 minutes, clinical. Reminiscent of the attacking accuracy of the Six Nations, back-line moves were carried out with precision and Horne's second try will go down as one of Scotland's knew they couldn't truck it up the middle, instead they waited to pick holes in behind the home defence and used their kicking game expertly. That's where Smith, Adam Hastings and Horne all had other opportunities to score, though. More points should have been taken when the Maoris were down to 13 men at the start of the second half, while the red-zone entry in the final 10 minutes lacked are up next and might not let the Scots off so easy, and those World Rugby ranking points are so crucially important if they want to progress out of the World Cup pool stage.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Smith relishing Scotland call after two-year absence
Ollie Smith is relishing the chance to play for Scotland again two years on from his last international Glasgow Warriors full-back is part of Gregor Townsend's squad heading for New Zealand next month to take on the Maori All Blacks and Samoa either side of a trip to Suva to face has not represented his country since the pool stage defeat to Ireland at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with a serious knee injury suffered the following December ruling him out of action for over a year."It's obviously been a long time to actually play for Scotland," Smith said."I was in camp in the autumn and the Six Nations, but the prospect of playing never really came around."I'm excited to actually get back in the jersey and play a game for Scotland. It's been two years since that Ireland game at the World Cup, so I'm very excited."When I first got the injury, I thought it wasn't too bad because I'd had the World Cup, then I went on to miss a league-winning championship [with Glasgow]."That was difficult, but there's no good time to pick up an injury. It's in the past now, it feels like a long time ago."
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Bright future awaits Afshar'
The storm may have passed but Glasgow and Connacht dealt with all the seasons in the rescheduled game on Sunday winds, sleet, snow and rain battered the players and left both teams looking like they would rather be anywhere other than often spoken of how depleted Glasgow are during these international windows, where squad depth and talent are really into the mix the amount of injuries Franco Smith is dealing with and it could cause a real headache. However, there is something about this squad. Ollie Smith played his first 80 but as 13 not at full-back and yet again Glasgow had three hookers in the stiff wind on Sunday made it a real tricky game for place kicking and clearing territory in general. Connacht started brighter but Glasgow roared back and two scores from Sebastian Cancelliere paved the way for of the game Ben Afshar looked a veteran as he marshalled the Glasgow team throughout. He scored a marvellous try but, like George Horne and Jamie Dobie, he continually makes brilliant support runs and looks to be working hard on his kicking game too. A bright future awaits the game-time may be restricted at present but it won't be long before he is knocking at the door of both Smith and Gregor Townsend and earning that playing at this break in the season sit second in the URC and a home tie with Leicester Tigers in the Champions Cup last 16 also awaits. A successful start to 2025.
