Glasgow’s Harley gets all clear for Euro crunch

GLASGOW flanker Rob Harley has been cleared to play in tomorrow’s crucial Heineken Cup match with Leinster at Firhill.

The 21-year-old, who has been a stand-out performer this season and is likely to make his international debut this year, appeared before a RaboDirect PRO12 disciplinary hearing yesterday after accumulating three yellow cards this season.

Two of the cards were dished out to Harley for ‘team penalties’, when a side is warned for a build-up of minor technical infringements and the next man to commit any sort of infringement is automatically sin-binned.

The all-Welsh disciplinary panel listened to Harley’s explanation of the three yellow cards, the final one incurred after he swung his arm at an opponent in the weekend’s defeat to the Scarlets, and decided that there should be no playing suspension, “but did caution and reprimand the player and warned him as to his future conduct”.

Harley will start at blindside flanker for Glasgow tomorrow where victory would keep alive their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals in Europe for the first time.

Warriors head coach Sean Lineen said: “It’s great to have the matter settled, and a real boost to the team to know that Rob will be involved.

“He’s been a key player for us all season and we’re expecting another big performance from him.”

Glasgow are expected to play in front of a record gate for a Heineken Cup match with over 6,000 tickets issued last night – season ticket-holders can bring a friend for free – which will surpass the previous record of 5,764 for the visit of Montferrand to Hughenden in 2001.

The Jackie Husband Stand and hospitality sections are sold out and the North and Main Stands have been opened up for what is expected to be a sizeable walk-up crowd.