When I told friends I was taking part in a yoga class, the age old quips were thrown back at me with a wry smile: ‘are you a 45 year old fruitarian?’, ‘that’s not a proper sport…’ yet I was determined to enter the William’s room for my first taste of Laura McCrimmon’s Yoga class with an open mind and a free spirit. I was instantly impressed by the turn out, considering the class is run and organised entirely by Laura, a third-year English Literature and Business Studies student. 22 mats tightly squeezed into every crevice of the hall on this grim Friday evening. The class started with a short meditation, in which we were encouraged in soothing tones to forget the stresses and pressures of everyday life, and reassert our inner strength. Feeling relaxed and content we plunged into our first core exercise, the dreaded and unforgiving plank. We held this position until my trembling forearms almost gave way, and swiftly moved into the downward facing dog. A succession of agonising positions followed, in which bodies were pushed to the upper limits of pain endurance.

Laura took care to give a variety of options for each move, depending on the skill and experience of the student. This was quite a relief in momentary lapses of physical stamina by my weak neophyte’s body. At one point in the class the group took five minutes to try a head stand. Short cuts such as kicking were strictly forbidden, and as I took the challenge head on and tried to lift both legs off the ground, they quickly came crashing back to the mat with a colossal thud. It seemed an impossible feat but some keen yogis managed it, and Laura’s unrelenting optimism convinced me that I too would one day, despite the odds, reign supreme and proudly stand tall on my own head. This was the most enduring aspect of the class, Laura’s friendly and positive attitude helped explain the overwhelming turn out, and the students’ determination to push themselves, ignoring the weary cries for help exerted by their strained bodies.

Laura was first introduced to the sport herself when, 5 years ago studying in Canada, she participated in a class out of personal curiosity. She says she never looked back, and hasn’t gone a day without practicing the discipline in some form ever since. Laura commends both the physical and spiritual aspects of the sport, saying the later has helped her in her own personal life. She feels like a stronger, calmer and more self-assured person because of it, and in moments of stress or anger turns to yoga to preserve a level head. She is equally enthusiastic about the physical benefits, and feels her previous studies in anatomy mean she has a great understanding of the practical aspects of the sport. She has since changed her degree course to English and Business Studies, in the hope of one day establishing her own Yoga Centre. It is soon apparent that this is not just a hobby for Laura, but an outward manifestation of her entire philosophy on life.

I asked her what advice she would give to novices, like me, who may feel intimidated by the prospect of a mixed ability class. She explains she is always willing to help out anyone who is struggling, and it is important to not compare yourself to others, but be aware of the possibilities that can be achieved through dedication to the practice. Laura is already half way there in reaching her lifelong goal, running a 2 weekly class at Dance Glasgow at £4 an hour, and the Friday class which is free to students as part of her affiliated SRC club.

Laura talks of exciting future prospects for the club, she will be holding a charity fundraising class for RAG week on the 13th of March in the Williams Room from 12 to 1pm. If you want to get involved in this fantastic class, try it for yourself, like Laura McCrimmon Yoga Teacher on Facebook for info on event times and location updates.

Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to unite people in a way little else can. Sport can create hope where there was once despair. It breaks down barriers. It laughs in the face of discrimination. Sport speaks to people in a language that they can understand.”

One man who embodies this spirit of hope is Jamie Andrew, a quadruple amputee who lost his hands and feet in a climbing accident in the Alps but who has continued to defy his disablity as time after time he has rubbished the notion of the impossible.
Speaking at the launch of the University of Glasgow Sport and Wellbeing week to a crowd of over 300, Andrew told his inspirational story of overcoming and succeeding in the face of adversity.

“I want to show other people that, by focusing on the positives rather than negatives, they can surpass their dreams”
In 1999, Jamie alongside close friend Jamie Fisher travelled to Chamonix in the French Alps to tackle the notoriously difficult Les Droites. Given the go ahead for good weather, the experienced pair advanced yet on their second day of climbing they fell victims to a freak storm, the ferocity of which left them with no choice but to bunker down and pray for it to pass. Yet pass it did not, and the two found themselves camped precariously on a tiny ridge, with vast drops to either side.

They were trapped by the storm for 5 grueling days and nights, challenged with rapidly diminishing supplies whilst being buffered by 90mph winds and at the mercy of sub -30C temperatures. Rescue efforts were made but in the face of the colossal power of nature the helicopters were simply unable to get close enough and the pair suffered the agony of seeing salvation forced to abandon them countless times and fly off into the distance.

Eventually he was saved during one of the Alps most dramatic rescues, yet Fisher wasn’t so lucky and Andrew had to endure the pain of leaving his friend behind as he was winched to safety. His survival was a miracle, yet the savage conditions had taken their toll on his body. He was dangerously hypothermic whilst his body had been ravaged by frostbite and the French doctors took the action of amputating his hands and feet in order to prevent further damage. His recovery and return to sport, however is an inspiration for all regardless of physical ability. Within a couple months he had learnt to walk, whilst now he can Ski, has completed the London Marathon and became part of the first all-disabled team to scale Mount Kilimanjaro. Perhaps most remarkably however between all this he has even taught himself to juggle. His story is a story of what it means to not be able to perform everyday tasks like walking or brushing your teeth; a story of rebuilding an entire life all over. Andrews described in great detail how he set himself small challenges every day – and demonstrated resilience and motivation that lead him to do everything everyone told him he’d never do again.

His talk coincides with the huge strides being made by Glasgow University, GUSA and the disability service. Recent statistics released by Sport England show that almost half of all young disabled people do no exercise with only 8.8% regularly active. And it’s an issue that GUSA President Leo Howes is keen to discuss, “GUSA have been working tirelessly to enhance the university experience of students with disabilities.”

They have recently launched an online service offering all students the opportunity to contact members of the Glasgow Sport service to discuss working out individual plans, advice and opportunities for assistance, whilst Howes outlined his plans to ensure all future Council members have mental health aid and counseling training.

He discussed future plans for what else can be done to further improve the sports and recreation facilities: “we would like to run mental health aid course for council members [the course deals with aspects of mental health and approaches the issues of suicide as well] In the long term, I hope SW will continue with success. The issue of sports and disability will hopefully stay on the agenda and we can make progress and strengthen partnership with Disabilities Services too.”

One student who has recently befitted from the increased collaboration between the Sports and Disability Services is Wanda Merced a blind Puerto Rican Computer Science PhD student who lost her sight eleven years ago. Wanda lives alone and has her own support worker.
At the start of the year she approached the Disability Services asking whether or not she would be allowed to attend the gym, although she was not too optimistic as she had been repeatedly refused entry to other sports facilities whilst studying abroad. A support worker from the Disability Services took her to the Stevenson Building where Wanda learned how to use some of the equipment. It was to be the start of a journey that allowed Wanda to “feel human again” She was partnered with Calum Hill who became her personal trainer. One of the most empowering experiences she has had is running with Hill outside, something achieved by Wanda simply holding his elbow, which before had been simply impossible.

Speaking to her, Wanda seems deeply touched by the care and attention by the staff at the Stevenson Building, “The staff did much more than they had to do. They went way beyond their duties. I don’t think that the staff know how immense the work they are doing is. Calum has been exceptional in helping me go forward. I am also very grateful to other staff members who always greet me as I arrive and always show me the way to the changing rooms. This experience has helped me realise that I think that the word disability should be erased from the dictionary. I think that it does not mean, “not being able to do things”; it just means “another way of doing things”.”

Chatting to trainer Calum Hill, he reflects on some of the anxieties he first had when he agreed to start working with Wanda, “I felt very apprehensive. But I decided to give it a go and she really enjoyed it. Wanda inspired me. ” He went on to comment on the importance of sports in wider sense: “And it just shows how important exercise is both physically and mentally. ““People who don’t do sport and exercises are missing out. Sport and Exercise can give completeness. It is key for all people, even more so for disabled people – everything else works well in their lives if exercise is there.” he concludes by reflecting on how much working with Wanda has changed his perspective in life, “ When you meet someone who tries that hard despite how difficult it is you realise how good your life is.”

The National Disability Development Day will take place on the 3rd of March in the Glasgow Caledonian University. GUSA is providing buses for those wishing to attend please visit
susport.org.uk/events.asp

gla.ac.uk/services/disability/
gla.ac.uk/services/sport/gusa/

What do Braveheart, ‘God Save the Queen’, making the sign of the cross and the Palestinian flag have in common? Under a new bill passed by the Scottish government, they could all land you in prison. A direct response to the escalation of incidents in Scotland last year that included Neil Lennon receiving death threats and a boisterous Scottish cup match at Celtic Park that lead to a summit between the government, police and representatives from Rangers and Celtic, the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill was last month passed by a small majority in Holyrood despite widespread criticism from other political parties, academics and football fans. Introducing two new criminal offences, the bill would criminalize ‘behaviour which is threatening, hateful or otherwise offensive’ at both football matches and on the internet, with anyone convicted facing a maximum imprisonment of five years.

Rather than clarify and define what songs, chanting and behaviour could lead to arrest, the bill has further complicated the already sticky area of sectarianism. Relying on police discretion and subjectivity, the bill doesn’t make any references to sectarianism, instead stating that the offensive behaviour that could lead to arrest is for those engaging in actions that are ‘likely to incite public disorder.’ Beyond the dubious notion that a legally acknowledged ‘reasonable person’ is the standard by which it is decided whether someone has fallen foul of the bill, the criteria for determining what constitutes offensive behaviour is almost wholly interpretative: what might be insulting or unsettling for one person could be humorous for another. The open and muddling nature of the bill ensures it is almost unpoliceable: in the raw and intense world of football, almost anything could be considered offensive. Players celebrating by running to the opposition fans, a player crossing himself when he enters the pitch, a referee unsettling the emotions of the fans with a series of mistakes and songs that question the legitimacy of a player’s birth are all examples of behaviour that could lead to arrest under the new bill, even if none of the scenarios ever actually leads to public disorder. Moreover, the part of the bill that aims to supervise the internet is almost impossible to enforce: I can just imagine a world-weary police officer shifting through millions of pages of banal and misspelled updates on Facebook in his pursuit for someone who has called Neil Lennon a naughty word.

Though the bill makes no specific reference to Rangers and Celtic, it is to the two Glasgow giants that it will be most forcibly applied. A rivalry based on centuries of cultural, political and religious differences, in recent years the Old Firm have faced several new laws and acts that have attempted to put an end to what Jack McConnell described as ‘Scotland’s secret shame’, with the new bill representing the most significant threat yet to these fans’ right of expression. Songs like ‘Rule Britannia’ and ‘Boys of the Old Brigade’ and flags like the Red Hand of Ulster and the Irish Tricolour – used legitimately by fans in other parts of the world – would be outlawed. If Paul Gascoigne or Artur Boruc tried miming playing a flute or wearing a shirt with a picture of the Pope on it these days, they’d be arrested. Anyone sent off in a game – like the three Rangers players in the Scottish cup match – could be prosecuted, as well as Scotland fans who boo a national anthem or Partick Thistle fans who sing this witty anti-Old Firm chant, ‘Hello, hello / How do you do? / We hate the boys in royal blue / We hate the boys in emerald green / So fuck the Pope / And fuck the Queen.’ Rugby fans who sing the exact same songs at Murrayfield that you might hear at Ibrox or Celtic Park are exempt from arrest, however, since the bill only applies to a game where the ball is kicked and not carried, sending out a clear message that rugby fans are refined, trustworthy and almost exclusively middle class, while those pesky, primarily working class football fans are suspicious.

As well as criminalizing forms of representation, the bill demonstrates a lack of understanding when it comes to the nature of football rivalry and hatred. Point-scoring and mickey-taking through exaggeration and fake indignation are fundamental rights as a football fan., especially in derbies, where the combination of alcohol and working class males ensures that people do strange, often unusual things, like singing about deaths of fans of your opponents. Discussing notable rivalries in football, the Guardian sports writer Daniel Taylor said, ‘Incessant hatred is a fact of football life. It’s out there, it’s unshakeable, and everyone who attends these matches is obliged to live with it.’ Though the Old Firm divide can be sinister and ominous, often what is mistaken for examples of sectarianism is simply football allegiance. Recently Liverpool fans unveiled a banner that said, ‘We’re not racist, we just hate Mancs’, which located their football rivalry in a context that people in Scotland cannot similarly apply to the Old Firm.

It has became impossible to see animosities between Rangers and Celtic without looking through the lens of sectarianism. Journalists and broadcasters – many of them ex-players – simply aren’t in a position to comment on what is a complicated sociological phenomenon, instead turning out the words ‘sectarianism’ and ‘bigotry’ with such laziness and inaccuracy that the words have lost all meaning. It’s reached the level where people assume these words are uniquely applicable to a West of Scotland syndrome, and something that’s not just as relevant in Iraq, Pakistan and Lebanon. In these countries sectarianism is defined by segregation, suicide bombing, civil wars and mass emigration. In Scotland in 2008, on the other hand, Cardinal Keith O’Brien warned that ‘The Hokey Cokey’ was anti-Catholic and could be used by football supporters to incite religious hatred. Many people claim to believe that sectarian violence and discrimination exists, but have very little evidence to back it up, with the result being that the notion that sectarianism is a pertinent problem in Scotland becoming as accepted as that myth about the Kelvingrove Art Gallery being built back to front.

One of the world’s oldest derbies, the Old Firm game is almost unique in that there is no one reason it is so fiercely contested; it’s a intriguing combination of other European football derbies. It has the political tension of El Clasico, the cross city rivalry of Fenerbache – Galatasaray, the tribalistic battle for national supremacy similar to the Liverpool – Manchester United game and the duopolistic clash for the league title that motivates matches between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos. Rangers and Celtic aren’t just the two biggest teams in Glasgow, they’re the two biggest teams in Scotland. Their stadia are less than five miles apart. You have to go back to 1985 for the last time neither of them won the league. Only recently, with Manchester City’s emergence as a team to challenge for the English Premier League, has the Manchester derby started to resemble the Glasgow equivalent, with the city derby also becoming a top-of-the-table clash. December’s Old Firm game was so significant to the league that whoever won the game would go top of the league, and in a country where the winner has been decided on the very last day five times since 2003, they’re hugely significant arbiters of success.

Aptly enough, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery has contributed to this myth about the problem of sectarianism in Glasgow. In the permanent ‘Glasgow Stories’ exhibit, visitors are greeted by the ‘Symbols that Divide’ display which consists of a mural of King William III, a statue of St. Patrick and information on the Orange Order, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the anti-sectarian charity Nil by Mouth. The sole mention of Rangers and Celtic is the underwhelming and simplistic reference to Rangers’ association with Protestantism and Celtic’s with Catholicism. The most visited museum in the Britain outside of London, in the year following Kelvingrove’s refurbishment it had 1.9 million visitors. 1.9 million visitors, some of them foreigners, tourists and strangers to Glasgow, entering with a limited information on the Old Firm and leaving with their knowledge only boosted by the fact that the people in blue and the people in green don’t really get on with one another. There’s nothing about how Rangers are the world’s most successful football club, or that Celtic were the first British team to win the European Cup. The dispirited, bleak and negative examination of just one characteristic of these two Glasgow institutions represents an almost bewildering own goal that is emblematic of the inability to see Rangers and Celtic as anything other than perennially warring factions. After all, there are no other exhibits in the museum dedicated to Glasgow’s title as the unhealthiest city in Britain or further information on how the constituencies of Glasgow North and North East claimed a combined 255 million pounds in benefits last year.

Already this season there have been examples of racism from prominent players in England. In the Spanish Super Copa final, the Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho gouged the eye of a Barcelona assistant coach. In December a match between Ajax and AZ Alkmaar was abandoned when a fan entered the pitch and attacked the AZ goalkeeper. None of these incidents brought about a nationwide summit to condemn the clubs involved or the production of a knee-jerk bill that left football fans in the dark. There is another darkness that looms over Glasgow – that of poverty, knife crime, alcoholism and domestic abuse. As austerity bites hard, there are more worthwhile causes for the government to dedicate their time and money towards than criminalizing a man shouting ‘Fuck the Pope’ or waving an Irish Harp flag at a football game. Because when this unfair, illegal and unnecessary bill comes into force, none of us will be singing anymore.

This year will see GUSA continuing with the Chancellor’s Fund for Sport. The Chancellor’s Fund for Sport is a fund given by the University to assist students in partaking in projects that they wouldn’t normally be able to do.

Just last year the Chancellor’s Fund funded some exciting projects that would normally be out of reach for most. These projects included mountaineering trips to the Alps, a road cycle from Paris to Berlin and Glasgow University’s Men’s Basketball Club travelling to Canada.

Chris Millar is one such person who has benefited greatly from the excellent opportunities that the Chancellor’s Fund can provide. I spoke to Chris about his experiences with the Chancellor’s Fund. “Last summer three friends and I took on the challenge of a lifetime – cycling from Glasgow University to the Sahara Desert in order to raise money and awareness for a children’s charity.”

When asked how the Chancellor’s Fund helped his journey, he discussed how the trip was “a once in a lifetime opportunity never would have been possible had it not been for The Chancellor’s Fund which allowed us to purchase essential equipment required for the expedition including bicycle maintenance, camping gear and our return travel home. Being four students, each with a minimal income, the Fund supported us in being able to get out there and tackle the project of our dreams!”

Stuart Law, GUSA’s finance convenor describes it as” a great way for the University to assist students to undergo a project in which they wouldn’t be able to in normal circumstances”.

Does the Chancellor’s Fund sound like something you would be interested in?  GUSA will be taking applications for grants when university resumes in January. So if you have any queries about the Chancellor’s Fund then do not hesitate to contact Stuart at gusa-finance@gla.ac.uk.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) lockout could potentially signal a sea of change in the world of sport. The owners of the NBA teams have had enough of entrenching themselves in debt in order to build a winning side and have decided to take a stance. Although a draft resolution was being voted on at the time of print, regardless the implications  remain the same. The NBA as a whole has been losing $300 million dollars per year over the past several years and 70% of teams are running at a loss each year. If they are successful in readdressing the balance of power, they could potentially start a revolution in terms of how sports stars are paid and perhaps even reduce the influence of player power when it comes to financial matters.

The lockout which had looked set to force the cancelation of the NBA season stemmed from a breakdown in negotiations between players and owners. The teams are struggling to cope with spiraling debt, caused mainly by the vast sums paid in player’s wages and in order to address this issue and to try and alleviate their financial worries, the owners have called for a salary cap of $45 million per team. The one stumbling block they have come up against is the rather tall brick wall of superstar players they have on their teams. They are the ones who hold all the cards when it comes to negotiating the multimillion dollar contracts that are crippling their franchises. The result of this stalemate is that there is no Basketball and the people who really matter, the fans, are being deprived.

What has this got to do with other sports? Well change the playing surface and it could easily sound like the description of any British football team; multimillionaire players earning vast sums of money, which in many cases forces clubs into administration. The extortionate wages being paid in the British game has brought many a footballing giant to its knees, such as Leeds United and Portsmouth in the English premier league. They are both examples of clubs that were spending way beyond their means in terms of player salaries and transfers and ultimately it cost them their place at the top table of English football.

Closer to home we have previously seen examples of teams like Gretna FC trying to buy their way to the top, it eventually got them there, but the time spent in the rarefied upper echelons of the top flight was fleeting. The bubble soon burst and they dropped out of the top flight, plighted with debt from players’ salaries. The solution was to offload the high earners who simply moved on to other teams willing to pay the going rates and the club was soon back down in the lower divisions.

If the same principles of the NBA lockout were applied to football in the UK, it could have as profound an effect as the 1995 Bosman ruling. Except it would now shift the balance of power from players back to the clubs. It could lead to a salary cap, a reduction in clubs operating debts and perhaps even make it a more level playing field, as with a salary cap enforced, teams would not be able to simply buy their way to glory. Instead they would be forced to nurture young talent and build teams consisting of maybe one or two superstars playing alongside local homegrown players.

The reckless spending has come home to roost for many teams, including Glasgow Rangers, who now find themselves in a precarious financial situation, most of which can be traced back to trying to spend their way to the Champions league. A few years of not earning the big money from UEFA and TV deals soon has an impact and they are now paying for years of living beyond their means. But this story can be associated with the majority of clubs in Britain. Perhaps chairmen up and down the country are watching events unfold across the pond and considering implementing some changes of their own in order to protect and preserve clubs for future generations rather than succumb to the demands of the current crop of multimillionaire players who bleed their clubs dry.

Walking into the ARC at Caledonian University, I was immediately faced with a line of Stormtroopers emerging from the men’s changing area. This was not going to be a regular sports event.

Roller Derby is full of oddities, but they all add to its colourful effect. Like other sports, it has the ritual of introducing the teams but achieves this in a creative and idiosyncratic way. Each team has its own theme, which is acted out in fun displays that represent both team name and theme. Having mascots is a tradition that is also kept, with Stormtroopers and Darth Vader appearances entertaining at half time.

As well as this popular tradition, it embraces a bunch of new ones: blaring rock music throughout the event and humorous team and player names that pun on the real names of the players.
Derby is colourful and quirky in its team’s outfits and style: opting for punk, rockabilly and burlesque aesthetic influences.

Roller Derby also embodies a property that no other sport does: it is largely played by women only. Mixed or men’s games may appear once in a while, but never at tournament level. All this adds together with strong undertones of feminism and a sprinkle of passionate and competitive girls(and guys) to form a sport that is genuinely unique.

The game itself is relatively simple but extremely fast paced, requiring almost as many referees as there are players on the field. The sport originated from endurance races in the 1880’s and grew from there slowly becoming a contact sport as the spectators enjoyed the crashes of opponents more than the race itself.

Even today, physical injury is part and parcel of the sport with almost every girl talking about what kinds of injuries they have endured, a lot of them happening off-track while having fun rather than when serious competition is taking place.

Eventually, clearer rules were defined and it evolved into the game being played today. Teams of five players designate one person, the ‘jammer’ to attempt to lap the other team, in order to score a point, while the rest of the team attempt to stop the opposing ‘jammer’. The game itself is played in a series of ‘jams’ between which the players swap out with team members on the bench. The sports recent amateur revival in the 00’s has built numerous teams of girls who compete in national and international leagues today.

Glasgow’s community of roller girls is large despite the sports marginalised popularity in the mainstream. They started with a group of enthusiastic girls wanting to play roller derby and, with help from London derby players, have risen to become the first established team in Scotland and 4th in the UK. Their membership is vast and quickly rising with new intakes frequent, although they are always in need of people to volunteer for various aspects of the Roller Derby experience.

Although large, the community of skaters in Glasgow is close-knit and friendly. Competitive on-track and friendly off-track is a very fitting description of the community and the players manage to switch from one to the other in mere seconds. Roller Derby’s intrinsic need for many different skills – speed, agility, power – is the reason why a lot of girls join and enjoy the sport so much. “Roller Derby has kind of become my life” says one girl, “there is a place for all kinds of strengths here”.

The next intake of members is after Christmas for details visit www.glasgowrollergirls.com or search for Glasgow Roller Girls on Facebook.

photo:Hamish Frost

A tentative early start so saw both sides playing for territory with an expansive kicking game before the Vets took an early lead through a simple penalty. It was a lead that was to be short lived as Glasgow almost instantly hit back. Looking to reassert themselves as the Universities premier side they took the lead through a try that highlighted the glittering array of attacking options that captain Guy Fairburn has at his disposal.

Olly Barker, a constant menace to the Vet’s burst through their defence, his pass went to ground but the mercurial veteran Andrew Brown was on hand to improvise with an audacious pass through the legs to leave Ben Doherty with the simplest of run ins. Brown went on to slot the conversion, the first of his 19 points, in a performance that will give Fairburn a welcome headache as the full-back looks to try and force himself back into the starting line-up after a spell on the sidelines with injury.

The try settled any nerves for the university and from then on it was relentless. A classy chip and chase from Fairburn caused chaos in the Vet defence, and after good work from the forwards saw the ball quickly recycled and after smart Glasgow hands exposed a scrambling Vet defence, Sean Thompson was on hand to touch down for an easily converted try.

Glasgow seemed irrepressible, as time after time the Vets failed to handle the immense pace and power of man of the match Barker and dancing feet of Brown. Yet just as Glasgow seemed to be eyeing up retribution for the recent years of humiliation the Vets hit back with a try from the most innocuous of situations. A communication breakdown as Glasgow looked to attack from deep saw the ball played behind Brown at full-back and he could only watch on in dismay as the ball bobbled over the try line for the simplest of touchdowns.

A shell-shocked hush descended over the Garscube and that seemed to seep through to the players as Fairburn proceeded to kick to touch directly from the centre. In recent years this would have been time for the GURFC to hit the self-destruct button but the manner in which they were able to rebuild reflects on the maturity and experience Fairburn is looking to utilise as the team look set to push for promotion.
Arguably the key for Glasgow this year is keeping hold of Matthew Moghadam. Not the biggest of players but he possesses the experience and intelligence to dictate play in and around the breakdown. Nicknamed ‘the Chiropractor’ for the bone-crunching ferocity of his tackling there is at times an arrogance about the way he prances about the field yet any arrogance comes from a innate knowledge that wherever he goes on the field destruction almost inevitably seems to follow.

So much of the veterinary supremacy over recent years has been built from a dominant pack that has simply bull-dozed its way through the opposition, yet their overt physicality descended into the reckless as they saw two men booked shortly before half time. Firstly a cynical shoulder barge on Scott McKean as the youngster looked set to extend Glasgow’s lead before minutes later Moghadam was dangerously tackled in the air at the line out.

The second half was an exhibition of attacking rugby at its finest. Barker was truly sensational, with a superlative performance marred only by a failure to add his name to the score sheet. Ben Doherty added his second of the match after a smart shimmy saw him split open the defence before Brown scored the try of the night with a score straight off the training ground. A flowing team move culminated with Brown receiving the ball on the Vets 22 and he had the pace to beat the full-back on the outside.

It was from the sublime to the ridiculous as Glasgow furthered their lead. A comedy of errors saw a scuffed Vet clearance ricochet off a fellow defender and Richard Murdoch was on hand to gleefully capitalise on the confusion for one of the simplest tries of his career.
Glasgow added another before the Vets restored some pride with a try after a good rolling maul exposed some of Glasgow’s defensive frailties. Moghadam capped off a fine personal display with a try that rounded off a thoroughly professional performance.
This was not simply about revenge. It was a showing that highlighted the return of the GURFC : This wasn’t Buckfast rugby; It was Champagne.

photo: Gavin Reynolds

It was a tale of two halves for Glasgow University. After a promising first period they were lacking structure and discipline as they were out muscled by a physical Napier side in miserable rain and sludge at the Garscube.

It was a real grudge match between the two teams as they sparred for the first time since their last game was overshadowed by an off-field scuffle between the two side’s benches. The air of tension was heightened as the early exchanges were spattered with insults flying as many of the players became embroiled in an on-field slagging match.

The game started promisingly for Glasgow, controlling the game deep in Napier territory and dominating the away side up front and in the tackle despite the visitors very noticeable size advantage.

There was also some very nice ball carrying from number 8 Robbie Shedden and flanker Richard Murdoch with, some good deep runs from the fullback Scott Mckean, who repeatedly broke the game line, driving his team forward through the treacherous conditions.

It must be said despite the majority of first half being played within Napier’s territory; Glasgow never made the best of their opportunities. A smart grubber kick from Glasgow scrumhalf Guy Fairburn almost released Sean Thompsonbut unluckily the ball just slipped out of the makeshift winger’s grasp.

Glasgow seemed to lack composure at the crucial moments. They seemed to miss their regular fly-half Andrew Warnock’s decision making and creativity with the distribution of the ball.

The half ended, 3-0 to Glasgow after a converted penalty. The Glasgow lads agitated they weren’t a couple tries up based on their dominance in the first half but were confident they could work out the kinks after the break.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. It became apparent throughout the second half that Glasgow were struggling in the conditions and failed to capitalise on any chances or overlaps. This played into the hands of the bigger Napier pack and in the muddy conditions they were able to exploit their size advantage to gradually turn the game in their favour.

In the second half no one seemed on the right page and sloppy distribution and play, prompted injured fly half Andrew Warnock to state, “it’s going sour.”

A few converted penalties by the Napier fly-half later and it seemed the injured fly half’s prophecy was becoming increasingly truer.
The game was marred be several controversial refereeing decisions, with the man in the middle making a number of dubious calls in favour of the away side. A poor decision on the position of a Napier penalty kick saw the Knights gain a lineout five meters from the Glasgow try line. One missed tackle later, and the Napier number 9 was able to touch down for an easily converted try.

As it got deeper into second half, it became Glasgow clear lacked the composure and structure to haul themselves back into the game. They started to lose their heads as they continued to concede silly penalties and make elementary errors.

All hope for a late rally was dashed when the Napier number 9 practically strolled to the Glasgow try-line after.more missed tackles. It must be noted that his try was aided by dirty play in the ruck from the Knight’s forwards missed by the referee, but it was a score that seemed inevitable considering the state of play.

The game ended fittingly with Glasgow ending in a manner that sadly reflected their second half performance: with a sloppy error that was booted gleefully into touch by the Napier number 10.

Although, it was a disheartening second half performance from the Glasgow team they can rally knowing if they can replicate their first half performance with a bit more consistency and luck, they have a great chance of getting a first win of the season when they travel away to Stirling in their upcoming match

Battling against the elements and an unfortunate early error, Glasgow came from behind to record an ultimately comfortable 3-1 victory against Edinburgh 2nd in their opening game in the BUCS Scottish Conference Men’s University League. Trailing after 45 minutes and shooting into a treacherous wind in the second half, Glasgow made their domination count with three well-taken goals in the space of ten clinical minutes.

At one point, however, it was feared the game would not go ahead. A 15 minute delay in kick off was brought about because of a clash of colour between Glasgow and the referee’s shirts. While the players and managers joked that the real reason for the delay was because the referee didn’t fancy running around in such terrible conditions, Edinburgh immediately demonstrated just how crucial a part the weather might play in the game by winning the toss and electing to swap sides to have the advantage of the wind in the second half.

With the usually pristine Garscube pitch resembling more a war field than a bowling green, there was a real fear that this may hinder Glasgow’s usual style of play. and they would not be able to heed deputising manager Harry Nolan’s words of ‘pass, pass, pass.’ These worries were realised after only two minutes.

An Edinburgh free kick was floated into the box and claiming the ball, Glasgow goalkeeper Jamie Macfarlane came rushing out, only to find he had misjudged its flight. It soared over his head and into the path of the grateful striker, who had the simplest of finishes to send Edinburgh into the lead.

Glasgow spent much of the first half proving that the Edinburgh goal had been, in their manager’s words, ‘a fluke.’ Ten minutes after conceding, Glasgow sensed the Edinburgh goalkeeper could be vulnerable if put under pressure after he blundered a simple back pass from his centre half by kicking the ball straight out of play. Striker Aaron Scoular immediately set to work by testing the keeper’s mettle with a string of ambitious efforts, and whilst they were comfortably saved, Glasgow were certainly threatening.

There were probably none more threatening than winger Ross Gallacher. A constant pain for the Edinburgh centre half and left back, he worked tirelessly in the first half jinxing past the Edinburgh defence and crossing balls into the box. Troubling the goalkeeper with a shot from close range after twenty two minutes, Gallacher’s partnership with marauding right back and captain Neil Buchan was the most potent of the entire match and throughout the 90 minutes they drew fouls and corners from the Edinburgh defence. Though these crosses into the box were usually effectively dealt with by the towering Edinburgh centre halves, Glasgow weren’t pouncing on the second ball enough and too many times the ball was dropping in just the wrong places. This was a shame, especially given the abundance of crosses into the box that Glasgow were afforded; at one point, four corners coming in the space of two short minutes.

The half time break probably came too soon for Glasgow: as the game progressed, they looked ever closer to breaking the Edinburgh defence. However, it allowed Nolan the opportunity to instill in his players the importance of composure in the final third. It took only six minutes for his words of wisdom to take affect.

Having won a free kick outside the Edinburgh penalty area, midfielder Gavin Ferguson curled the ball past the wall and into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal. It was no more than Glasgow deserved. A second soon followed, when the substitute Andy Pender latched onto a lofted through ball from Man-of-the-Match Ewan Rothnie and exhibited that composure that was lacking in the first half by emphatically scoring. Glasgow were on the up, and when Scoular was given time to turn and shoot just minutes later, there was only going to be one outcome. With Glasgow now 3-1 up, there was only going to be one winner.

With confidence in their high defending line in the rare occasions Edinburgh made it out of their half and in the excellent possession skills of Rothnie, Glasgow went on the attack again. Using all three substitutions to allow trialists an opportunity to impress for the team, Glasgow were unlucky not to make it four when Pender nearly beat the goalkeeper with a speculative lob from outside the penalty box. Ironically, however, it was Edinburgh who came closest to scoring when a curling shot was rebounded off the bar. However another goal would have truly flattered them.
Suggesting why Edinburgh couldn’t make a comeback to match Glasgow’s, goal scorer Ferguson said, ‘it was Edinburgh’s second team and not their first, so when the goals started going in, I think their heads just really went down.’ He added: ‘Despite the horrible conditions, didn’t give the ball away. I was really impressed with the performance today.’

For Glasgow Men’s football the future’s bright, even if the weather’s not.

A new season, a new FIFA. As the follow up to what many deem to be not only the best FIFA ever but probably the best football game to date, FIFA 12 has a lot to live up to. Whilst the new incarnation has the usual spoils of a yearly update; a facelift, increased roster, better animations and the like, EA Sports, the developers, have taken an unusually brave step and decided to make fundamental changes to the engine, in particular the art of defending. Unfortunately, the results are decidedly mixed.

The idea behind the new defensive manoeuvres is admirable; by creating a system of jockeying, harrying, containing and pulling, they are attempting to add greater skill to what was previously simply colliding shirts to see who ended up with the ball in the fallout. This works fine against the computer, whose pre-designed runs into channels are perfect opportunities to jockey and then dispossess. Against a human, who has no intention of putting themselves into a contained position (i.e. everyone with an ounce of skill), it becomes immensely frustrating.

Players are used to the kick and rush style of play encouraged by practically every other football game ever, and thus the space which the new system requires you to leave an opponent is exploited to devastating effect. By making slides and block tackles more erratic, the game is effectively forcing you to play in this compromising and flawed way. An option to change the settings would have resulted in a far more even style of play; instead, players become frustrated quickly, and enjoyment of the game is greatly hindered.

Nor is that the end of the problems. Goalkeepers have a mind of their own, stumbling out of the box like Rene Higuita on hallucinogenic drugs. The new physics engine, though effective for crunching tackles, needed a month of extra development; players collide softly before cartwheeling grotesquely into the air as if the ball was a grenade. The crossing mechanics are slack and loose, with the ball often spinning harmlessly out for a goal kick whatever the ability of the deliverer. Referees now give penalties for a defender even approaching an attacker in the box, to unanimous frustration. Though not disastrous by themselves, together they are indicative of a hastily put together product, with far too many bugs, nuisances and poorly executed ideas to be wholly satisfactory.

That is not to say it is terrible though; far from it. It is still a wonderfully fluid game of football, way ahead of its nearest rival Pro Evolution Soccer 12. There is a more marked difference in top quality players; whereas before the best in the world were simply a little bit faster, now the difference between Darius Vassell and Lionel Messi is far more apparent, both in ability and vision. Talking of vision, passes are far more precise, with through-balls going where you want rather than where the computer thinks you want them. Players move with far more grace and purpose, leading to some exquisite dribbles and swashbuckling attacking endeavour. The new online modes are well handled, with some well thought out new ideas, and are more engrossing and balanced than ever before.

Make no mistake, FIFA 12 is still a brilliant game of football, and is worthy of any football fan’s investment. However, it just feels like a missed opportunity; the new features are flawed, some of the presentation is sloppy, and often the play is just downright glitchy. Despite all that was promised, it barely feels like a step-forward from last year; in-fact, in many ways it is a regression from the cultured FIFA 11. What should have been the best football game ever is not even the best in the FIFA series; a bitter pill to swallow.