Mike Blair says Glasgow are favourites to win Pro12 title

Mike Blair thinks Glasgow can retain their Pro12 title. Picture: Paul Devlin/SNS/SRU

Mike Blair believes Glasgow are favourites to win the Guinness Pro12 and reckons defending the title will be an even bigger feat than their historic triumph a year ago.

The Warriors are top of the standings going into Saturday’s final regular season match away at second-placed Connacht and aiming to secure a home semi-final, with the final set for BT Murrayfield at the end of the month.

Blair, who joined Glasgow on a two-year contract last summer but recently announced his retirement from playing and will complete his transition into a coaching role heading into next season, said: “I believe at the moment we are favourites to win.”

The former Scotland scrum-half added: “The only thing more impressive than winning the league is winning it back to back.

“Guys like Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg, when they are confident they think they will win the game and have the talent to do that. It is a great tag to be favourites and we want to embrace that.”

Blair was yesterday confirmed as a recipient, along with Calum Forrester of Ayr, of this year’s John Macphail Coaching Scholarship which will see the pair spend three weeks in Christchurch next month.