GLASGOW — Glasgow assistant coach Nigel Carolan says the time has come to "unleash" former Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie for his Warriors debut in Saturday's United Rugby Championship match against Benetton in Treviso. The 30-year-old flanker, capped 63 times, has returned to full training after ankle and Achilles tendon issues that required surgery over the summer.
"He's training fully. We feel he's integrated into the systems now very well. And he's itching to go," Carolan said. "It would be great if we get him involved this week, either starting or on the bench. It would be really positive to have him involved, especially ahead of Scotland's Nations Cup in a couple of weeks."
Ritchie spent 11 years with Glasgow's rivals Edinburgh after joining straight from school before moving to French Top 14 side Perpignan, and has joined Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun on a two-year deal this summer. Carolan said patience was deliberate after his surgery and move to a new club. "I think it was important to get the timing right. We didn't want to rush him," he added. "We could have involved him maybe last week but that was Ruwald van der Merwe's time. So I think the time has now come to unleash Jamie Ritchie in a Glasgow Warriors shirt."
Warriors are second in the URC table after three matches — behind Edinburgh — and will be favourites against second-bottom Benetton this weekend. Glasgow finished top of the URC last season but were knocked out in the play-off semi-finals by the Bulls, with the summer arrivals of Ritchie and Van der Merwe — and the departure of Scotland back row Jack Dempsey — part of Franco Smith's evolution of the squad.