Glasgow Warriors v Ulster Rugby
Date: Fri 5th April 2019
KO: 19:35
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium
Glasgow their end-of-season with a tricky fixture at home to Ulster, led by former Warriors and Scotland forwards coach Dan McFarland. For the Warriors lads it will be one of a few remaining chances to work with/impress current skills coach Mike Blair who is switching to work full time with the national setup from the end of the season.
Fresh from giving me all sorts of headaches picking a World Cup squad, Tommy Seymour is back from his recent rib injury and starts in a re-jigged (and handy looking) backline that sees rising star Kyle Steyn playing at outside centre. It looks like a useful unit despite the number of first or second choices on the injured list.
After sitting on the bench for the big European game, Jonny Gray moves back into the starting lineup for his 100th Glasgow appearance. After many injury problems, the front three is starting to look settled with an unchanged unit for the third game in a row.
Glasgow Warriors: Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour, Kyle Steyn, Sam Johnson, Nikola Matawalu, Adam Hastings, Ali Price; Oli Kebble, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson, Rob Harley, Jonny Gray, Adam Ashe, Chris Fusaro (capt), Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: Grant Stewart, Jamie Bhatti, Siua Halanukonuka, Scott Cummings, David Tameilau, George Horne, Pete Horne, Robbie Nairn,
Ulster Rugby: Michael Lowry, Rob Lyttle, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney, Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee.
Replacements: John Andrew, Andy Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Ian Nagle, Marcus Rea, Dave Shanahan, Darren Cave, Angus Kernohan.
Referee: Stuart Berry (SARU)
Unavailable players: Callum Gibbins (head), Nick Grigg (ankle), Huw Jones (knee), Lee Jones (knee), D’arcy Rae (ankle), Matt Smith (shoulder), Tim Swinson (ankle), George Turner (head), DTH van der Merwe (shoulder) and Ryan Wilson (knee).
Scarlets v Edinburgh Rugby
Date: Sat 6th April 2019
KO: 18:45
Venue: Parc y Scarlets
Mark Bennett is the only change from the Edinburgh starting XV that narrowly lost to Munster last weekend as Edinburgh go to Llanelli seeking a win that keeps them on track for a playoff spot. It may well need to be the top team from here on in, and Richard Cockerill has selected accordingly.
Matt Scott, Callum Hunter-Hill and Rory Sutherland come on to a still impressive bench meaning no Jamie Ritchie or Allan Dell (possibly rested).
For the there is no Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (loan to Quins) or Blade Thomson (concussion) for the home team, but it will be return to Parc Y Scarlets for John Barclay. He’ll face down a team heavy on Welsh internationals and it’ll be no mean feat to turn them over.
Scarlets: Leigh Halfpenny; Johnny McNicholl, Jonathan Davies, Hadleigh Parkes, Steff Evans; Dan Jones, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Ken Owens (capt), Samson Lee, Lewis Rawlins, Steve Cummins, Will Boyde, James Davies, Uzair Cassiem.
Replacements: Marc Jones, Wyn Jones, Werner Kruger, Josh Helps, Josh Macleod, Kieran Hardy, Kieron Fonotia, Ioan Nicholas.
Edinburgh Rugby: Darcy Graham, Damien Hoyland, Mark Bennett, Chris Dean, Duhan van der Merwe, Jaco van der Walt, Henry Pyrgos; Pierre Schoeman, Stuart McInally, Willem Nel, Ben Toolis, Grant Gilchrist, John Barclay, Hamish Watson, Viliame Mata.
Replacements: Ross Ford, Rory Sutherland, Simon Berghan, Callum Hunter-Hill, Magnus Bradbury, Charlie Shiel, Simon Hickey, Matt Scott.
Referee: George Clancy