Resilient skipper Stortoni stoic as Glasgow's injury list grows

AS GLASGOW'S preparations for the new season begin to resemble a storyline from 'Casualty', the squad's 'Mr Reliable' Bernardo Stortoni has assured his teammates and supporters that it is not time to panic.

News that Chris Cusiter and Alastair Kellock have had to undergo unexpected operations to repair knee injuries, and so join back rows Johnnie Beattie and James Eddie in being out of club action at least until November can have done little good for morale ahead of tonight's first friendly, against Mike Brewer's Sale Sharks at Firhill (7.30pm).

Brewer is having to ship players out of his squad to cut costs, but Glasgow coach Sean Lineen has his around him, just unable to play. At least Lineen has been aware of the extraordinary injury pile-up for some time, and even sees it easing, but supporters will be stunned to learn that as well as the quartet mentioned, John Barclay, the Scotland flanker (Achilles), versatile backs Colin Gregor (knee) and Dave McCall (hamstring), and hooker Dougie Hall (hand) will miss the opening weeks of the season. Centre Graeme Morrison is also touch-and-go to make the opening league match with Leinster and a clutch of others will have only cameo roles in the pre- season friendlies as part of their recovery from injuries.

Stortoni, however, whose ever-present record since joining Glasgow in 2007 now seems ever more remarkable, has taken over as captain and the 33-year-old Argentina cap insisted the flip side was the opportunity it handed to new signings.

"It is disappointing for all of these players," he accepted, "but this is why you have a big squad and we have a lot of new players who will get the chance to play and show what they can do.

"It can be difficult for these players to get a chance quickly, but I have been impressed by them and I think they will show the quality we have and why we don't have to worry."

Those handed such opportunities tonight include Stortoni's compatriot Federico Arambaru, Scotland U20 scrum-half Henry Pyrgos and 18-year-old ex-West nine Murray McConnell .

Glasgow (v Sale at Firhill, 7.30 pm): B Stortoni (capt); DTH van der Merwe, M Evans, R Dewey, F Arambaru; R Jackson, H Pyrgos; R Grant, F Thomson, M Low, A Muldowney, R Gray, R Wilson, C Fusaro, R Vernon.

Subs: P Burke, A Dunbar, C Forrester, F Gillies, R Harley, P Horne, E Kalman, P MacArthur, M McConnell, P Murchie, C Shaw, S Swindall, K Tkachuk, D Weir.

Sale squad: N Macleod, P Williams, T Brady, F Mulchrone, K Tonetti, A Tuilagi, R Crane, B Cohen, M James, R Miller, D Peel, C Leck, A Croall, J Forster, S McIntyre, K Wihongi, N Briggs, M Jones, N Rouse, J Gaskell, S Cox, W Lewaravu, C Fearns, J Harris, D Seymour, K Ormsby, S Koyamaibole.