Sean Lineen likens semi-final to a 'Test match' against 'Barcelona of Magners League'

SEAN Lineen experienced a fair share of memorable international occasions as a member of Scotland's Grand Slam squad of 1990, but the now Glasgow coach insisted yesterday that his side's Magners League semi-final would rank alongside Test matches in many ways.

He watched players spilling blood again in training yesterday, fights breaking out as tempers frayed, and reported himself satisfied that the Glasgow squad were perfectly attuned to the battle that awaits with the Ospreys in the Liberty Stadium on Friday night. He has named a 25-man squad while Chris Cusiter fully recovers from a knee knock and a few more players shrug off knocks. There is no place for 20-year-old lock Richie Gray, which will be a huge disappointment to the youngster capped this year, but Lineen has gone for experience in Tim Barker and Dan Turner alongside Al Kellock. Max Evans and John Barclay, who both missed Friday night's win at the Scarlets, are back this week and the presence of such inspirational Scotland stars is crucial against a club that boasts no fewer 26 internationalists and has spent much of this week talking of playing in a 'Grand Final', such is their confidence of sweeping past Glasgow.

With so many of the recent Scotland team also emanating from Glasgow, Lineen likened the clash to a Test match.

"This is an international for us and we're treating it like that," he said. "Guys play Six Nations five times a season so in its own way I think this is bigger because it's a one-off. It brings it's own types of pressure, up against an opposition that plays together week in, week out.

"The way they (Ospreys] have come together since getting knocked out of the Heineken Cup, you could almost see them roll the sleeves up and say 'right, we've got to win something' and they haven't lost since that game. Some have said they're like the Barcelona of the Magners League in terms of the quality they have got, so we've got to go down there with the right attitude and belief, and team for this one-off game.

"But I have never seen training like that session today. There was blood, fisticuffs, and you could see the realisation in some guys that they are going to miss out.

"I said at the beginning of the season that this is the strongest squad I've been involved with at Glasgow and so it is tough, but the team spirit is so strong that the guys who do play know they have to do it for the others as well, who have got us to where we are, going right back to the two days training at Condor (Marines base] at pre-season."

Lineen is aware that the Warriors have set a new benchmark for themselves and Scottish pro rugby this season, and though the clear underdogs he believes his players are capable of taking it a step further.

Insisting a final reached by this Glasgow side would compare to anything he achieved as a player, Lineen added: "The season has been exciting and satisfying, but we'll take it to another level if we get the result we want down at the Ospreys.

"Even though they are chock-full of eight (British and Irish] Lions, three All Blacks and the rest of it, we're chock-full of internationalists as well.

"When I first came here I remember hopping into taxis and being asked what football team I supported, and they thought the Warriors was a basketball team or a volleyball team. But now it's 'oh the rugby team'. There has been a change in the profile, but it all comes from winning. We are all aware of what a fantastic achievement it would be to now take that next step."