Adam Hastings: Did my dad play for Edinburgh?

Glasgow Warriors' Adam Hastings has signed a new deal. Picture: Ross MacDonald/SNS/SRU

Hastings had to bide his time last season – frustrating for him. However, he has found his feet in this campaign even if he got off to a rocky start against Connacht. Glasgow won by one point in Galway, no thanks to Hastings who earned himself a second-half yellow card for a high tackle.

The following weekend against Munster proved a turning point. Hastings was the creative force behind  Glasgow’s win with two assists for tries and he hasn’t looked back since, perhaps surprising even himself.

“Yeah, a little bit,” he conceded. “In the first game of the  season, I thought I had played horribly. I was thinking to myself: ‘Oh God, that’s my chance.’ But Dave [head coach Rennie] has backed me since then.

Adam Hastings' new deal is for two years. Picture: Ross MacDonald/SNS/SRU

“I probably have surprised myself a little bit with it all but it’s been really good fun. I’m certainly not taking anything for granted. I just want to keep pushing. What’s happened this season has been kind of unexpected for me. I was obviously hoping to play as much as I have, but wasn’t sure if it would actually happen. So I’m thrilled to be staying.”

Just as scrum-half George Horne did on Tuesday, Hastings has signed with the Warriors for two more years, so the pair will have a chance to grow together. The half-back duo could steal the show in Saturday’s first instalment of the 1872 Cup against Edinburgh at Murrayfield but much will depend upon what sort of ball the forwards provide and, of course, the weather.

I filled in an online questionnaire asking for the best combined Edinburgh/Glasgow team. I did it quickly, without too much head scratching, and ended up with just one Glasgow forward in my eight and just two Edinburgh backs. If Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill knows a rain dance, he had better start twerking now because the Glasgow midfield is miles better than his. If the Horne/Hastings  double act get on the front foot, Edinburgh will be tackling shadows all evening.

In stark contrast to most professional players the young pair actually look like they are enjoying themselves on the field. So, Hastings was asked, does the boss actively encourage the swagger?

“He encourages us to have a crack,” replies Hastings, “but on the flipside, if we’re doing too much of that, he will rein us in a little bit.

“The big thing with the coaches here at the club though, is that they want to reward you for an attacking style of rugby. They don’t want to hold you back too much.”

Thank goodness Rennie ignored calls to push Hastings back to full-back, the position his father Gavin played with such distinction. If some sons of famous fathers appear to be burdened by a legacy, Hastings jnrs’ reaction is a mix of amused and confused at exactly what his dad did and didn’t achieve. Asked if he had mixed feelings playing against the city where he grew up, Hastings replied: “No, not really. We weren’t die-hard Edinburgh fans or anything like that.”

Had dad and uncle Scott retired from the game before junior went along to watch Edinburgh?

“I don’t think my Dad ever played for Edinburgh?”

He did, regularly, and even captained them.

“Well he doesn’t talk about it!”

Hastings snr was actually the chairman of Edinburgh Rugby, a mostly honorary position, until a few years back.

“I couldn’t tell you. He does a lot of ventures.”

Let’s at least hope someone has mentioned the 1990 Grand Slam or Adam is in for a real surprise. Hastings is obviously focused on the forthcoming derby match at the expense of anything else and so he should. For all of Glasgow’s excellence in the league over the last few years, Edinburgh are getting used to winning the 1872 Cup, having done it in three of the last four seasons.

“We’ve been doing a bit better than them in the league,” added Hastings. “But they’re a quality side and it’ll be a good game. There are a lot of Scottish boys in their team, so it’ll be good to go up against them.

“They are in good form but we’ve just had a couple of good wins against Lyon. We scored over 40 points in France then got a good win at home last weekend in some really difficult conditions. We’ll take great confidence from that.”

That and a cloudless sky come Saturday.