They will soon be gunning for each other on the pitch, and this afternoon Edinburgh Rugby’s Nick De Luca and Tommy Seymour of Glasgow Warriors went head to head on the track at Knockhill Racing Circuit to start the countdown to this season’s 1872 Cup derby double-header.
The pair tried out a Ferrari and an Aston Martin at Scotland’s leading motorsport destination, with every indication from both the red and blue corners that they’re revved up and ready to go ahead of the biggest domestic clash in Scottish rugby.
The inter-city showdown, one of the oldest fixtures in the world game, this season celebrates its 140th anniversary.
The usual heady mix of RaboDirect PRO12 points and local bragging rights will be up for grabs first at Murrayfield on Monday 26 December (kick-off 5.35pm) then at Firhill on Sunday 1 January (kick-off 5.35pm).
Both clubs have launched a number of fantastic ticket incentives aimed at ensuring as many supporters as possible can play their part in the drama.
Edinburgh Rugby are offering 500 pairs of tickets for Murrayfield at a superb £18.72, with the purchasers being put into a draw to win a signed jersey, while Glasgow fans can take in the Firhill clash and the Heineken Cup battle with European champions Leinster in January for a combined £25 – a saving of up to £15 on the match-day price. The Warriors have also put in place a number of money-can’t-buy prizes for local clubs who sell tickets through their own websites.
>> Click here to snap up the early bird offer for Edinburgh Rugby v Glasgow Warriors on Boxing Day
De Luca said: “The 1872 Cup derbies with Glasgow are always fantastic occasions both on and off the pitch, and coming to Knockhill and seeing all the red and blue has really got the juices flowing.
“With both teams having put together some really good results in the first part of the season, I’m sure the games are going to be even more fiercely fought than usual, and the crowds at Murrayfield and Firhill should be in for a real treat.”
Seymour commented: “Having joined the Warriors in the summer, this is shaping up to be my first experience of the 1872 Cup. The Glasgow guys have already been filling me in on what it means to so many people when we play Edinburgh, and I can’t wait to sample the tremendous atmosphere they’ve talked about.
“It’s been great fun at Knockhill this afternoon, and if my own experience of derby games is anything to go by, it will be just as fast and furious at Murrayfield on 26 December and Firhill on New Year’s Day.”
