IT was just 12 months ago that the all-new PRO14 was rolled out. It didn’t take long for the bigger league and new format to gain traction, and for former Edinburgh, Glasgow and Scotland lock Al Kellock, the PRO14 juggernaut will continue to pick up momentum, and fans, as this season unfolds.

All in all, Kellock saw the changes made a year back as being positive for the competition but believes it will be over this term the tournament will properly benefit from those amendments.

“When I played, it was still 12 teams, one big league, playing home and away before the play-offs. Any changes to the format means a step in to the unknown, and it takes a wee while to become accustomed to that.

“Most people get the two-conference set-up now and I don’t think there were too many issues with it or the introduction of the South African teams, Toyota Cheetahs and Southern Kings.

“From speaking to players, they enjoyed the mini-tours to South Africa. It brought a different dynamic in to play, with the travel and type of rugby the South Africans played. Personally, I think we’ll see more from the Kings and Cheetahs now they’ve bedded in and seen Celtic rugby first hand.”

Not only did the old PRO12 gain two extra teams in 2017, but Scottish rugby gained an additional inter-city clash, a real bonus for the domestic game, says Kellock.

“Getting an additional Glasgow-Edinburgh derby game meant Scots rugby supporters got a great deal out of the re-vamped format. Another derby and we still get the top Irish and Welsh teams visiting, and the big name players and spectacle that brings. It was good with two derby matches, even better with a third. As we saw last season, what was delivered were top matches with a lot at stake, plenty of bragging rights for rival fans, but above all else, some great action on the field.

“These games can only be good for the profile of rugby in Scotland. They are virtually like international trial games, because you have so many of our international players involved, each going head-to-head, probably with the guy who is their rival for a Scotland jersey.

“That element adds some spice to proceedings and brings the best out of the players, and again, adds to what is on offer for the fans, especially the younger generation who want to see their heroes, and for TV.

“There is the natural rivalry, that goes back decades. But what we are seeing now, and have done over the last 10 years, is these fixtures really establishing themselves as landmark dates on the sporting calendar, because you have a couple of them over the space of a week.

“As a player, I always looked forward to the Glasgow-Edinburgh games most of all. Now as a former player, they are still pretty high on the agenda, because of what they have grown in to in recent years.

“I honestly think they are now part of the Christmas and New Year schedule for a great many rugby supporters, who have it earmarked on the calendar what they’ll be doing before, during or after the festivities, and how the rugby at Scotstoun or in the capital plays in to that holiday period.”

Last year also saw changes within the coaching set-ups, with Richard Cockerill and Dave Rennie introduced at Edinburgh and Glasgow respectively. For Kellock, they were successful first terms – but he expects more.

“Last year, there was different demands on the coaches while the teams were coming from different places in terms of how they’d performed in recent years. Today, you could barely split the teams, perform-ance wise, again, as we saw through the inter-city clashes.

“Edinburgh put the foundations down last year – however Richard Cockerill will tell you that’s all they’ve done. But what I’ve liked are the signings they have made to enable them to kick on. Matt Scott, Henry Pyrgos and John Barclay are terrific arrivals, who will only help the likes of Magnus Bradbury and Jamie Ritchie.

“Mix them with the grit and hard edge Edinburgh showed last season, where they could grind out results when previously they might have folded, then this has the makings of a good campaign. And that is without even mentioning their player of the season, Stuart McInally. So, Edinburgh are in a good place.

“At Glasgow, Dave Rennie will need to overcome the loss of Finn Russell, but we might be pre-judging things to say he’ll be missed. Who can tell what might happen now Adam Hastings and Pete Horne take a step up?

“The biggest part of the building process however, is to reach a point where even losing players on inter-national duty doesn’t weaken the starting XV. Matt Fagerson and George Horne at Glasgow would be two good examples of players stepping up.

“Experienced guys have also come good, like Callum Gibbins, pictured, was outstanding, as was Ruaridh Jackson with Glasgow. Those inter-national windows are no longer a time to survive, it’s time to push through.”

Glasgow and Edinburgh will expect to make the play-offs says Kellock, who also says peaking at the right time is key to a successful season.

“Just as Warriors dipped back in the spring, so Scarlets timed their run to perfection in that semi-final at

Scotstoun and we saw an outstanding team playing outstanding rugby, when it mattered. Hopefully Glasgow and Edinburgh can get that right as well.”