Head Coach Franco Smith announced his team to take on Italian side Benetton in the first clash of the Italian-Scottish shield in the BKT United Rugby Championship. Within that matchday 23 are 3 debutants.
The first debutant comes in the front row as Argentinian Lucio Sordoni makes it an all-international front row by joining Jamie Bhatti and Fraser Brown.
The engine room remains unchanged as Lewis Bean and Richie Gray link up once again. Gray will be looking to continue his outstanding lineout performance, having had more steals than any other player in the 2021/22 championship.
New signing Sintu Manjezi will make his Glasgow debut in the back row, teaming up with Matt Fagerson and last season’s top carrier Jack Dempsey.
George Horne is teaming up with Tom Jordan – who is making his first professional start for the club – in the halfbacks.
After missing out on the preseason clash in Inverness, Sione Tuipulotu comes into the starting XV, linking up with Stafford McDowall in the midfield.
Skipper Kyle Steyn is set to make his 50th appearance for the club out on the wing and is joined by Sebastian Cancelliere on the opposite wing and Cole Forbes completing the starting XV at fullback.
Smith has opted for a 6-2 split on the bench to tackle the physical challenge in Treviso. Last season’s top try scorer Johnny Matthews, Oli Kebble and Zander Fagerson are named as front row cover. Scott Cummings joins them alongside Rory Darge and Thomas Gordon. Ali Price and Duncan Weir are the only two backs on the bench to provide some extra cover.
Overall, I think this is a strong looking team although I do think the extra preseason game would’ve done some good to work out any more issues. Interesting call to name Brown over Matthews as Matthews has been performing a lot better than Brown in the past. Smith’s want to improve the fitness of the squad will be needed for this game as Benetton like to have a proper run around.
Come on Warriors!
24 responses
No change from last year’s performances! Utter c**p
Not just the performance on the field that needs fixed, the Glasgow Home website is decidedly amaturish, and that’s on the few occasions that it opens properly.
One-word multiple times …….. Basics, Basics, Basics ………
We looked slightly better when the strong bench came on… which highlights the need to give the wider squad more game time? Perhaps so, looking at it from a long-term perspective.
One negative for me was the lack of ambition, particularly in the first half, to challenge Benetton by throwing out wide more often, it felt like 10 man rugby (predictable and easy to defend).
Positives: Game time for wider squad, Tom Jordan did not do much today but hopefully this game was the welcome to pro rugby he needed, and he will step up his game next time.
As Franco said, he will be looking early on in the season at developing players, so don’t expect any miracles.
After seeing Edinburgh tonight I just wonder what Mike Blair could have done at Glasgow.
If Mike Blair were the Glasgow coach he’d have been hounded out the door as the SRU’s cheap in-house option and yet another example of the anti-Glasgow conspiracy.
OTOH Mike Blair didn’t take two years to make Edinburgh worse than when he arrived, so perhaps he’d have won the fans round and become a Glasgow hero – exactly like Townshend who was also lambasted as a jobs for the boys candidate when he was appointed.
FF: It is hard to disagree with that. It is a long way back for a side stripped of it’s confidence.
Sam, I have bever read or heard of an ‘anti-Glasgow Conspiracy’. What is the benefit of that and who stands to gain.
Tremendous entertainment, Mata charging, Graham looks at his best, Ritchie superb.
The scrum changes at HT were key (Dragons prop Sin Binned) Schoeman Nel and McInally helped Edinburgh get front foot ball.
Kinghorn was absolutely magnificent when he came on 50-22, try scoring breaks/passes and a try.
I went to bed with a smile on my face
Edinburgh: It was a very competent well controlled performance. Finished the first half ahead and cut loose in the second. As the commentators emphasised, The Dragons defence was strong. The Dragons will be a harder side to beat , especially in Wales than they have ever been previously. I thought both sides were impressive in their own way.
Saw your post on the Offsideline JM, well said, i am constantly getting errors or it being a 50/50 if my comment actually becomes approved.
I for one will be posting when it comes to games on here, won’t have to wait a day to see the chat that way
Aye sir, the issue with TOL has been going on for ages and remains as bad now as when u brought it up, TOL better watch or everyone will migratebonto here.
Re the weekends rugby – Edinburgh seem a team exactly sure what they are doing where as Glasgow don’t, yes it’s early days for Franco S but the errors committed by Glasgow really had to be seen to be believed, funny selection choices too
I wondered if there was a slow migration the other way due to our inactivity. Praise be to Kevin, Chris, Eve and the podcasters! If comments aren’t coming up straight away they maybe have stricter controls in place to avoid having to moderate pages of spam or anything like that. We’ve often thought about it!
It did strike me that Smith had little prior knowledge of who the top players at Glasgow were last season, however he did join very late into pre-season and both Worcester and Ulsters preseason games cancelled, i am willing to cut him some slack for the moment, however their is plenty to work with in that squad.
A team i would like to see against Cardiff (assuming my knowledge of injuries is up to date).
Forbes – McLean – Steyn(C) – Johnson – Canceliere – Jordan – Price – Fagerson – Gordon – Darge – Cummings – Samuel – Fagerson – Brown – Bhatti.
Tuipolotu – Miotti – Horne – Dempsey – JP Du Preez – Berghan – Turner – Kebble
Willing to give a few players a second chance, i’ve heard Samuel has been performing well in Super 6. Fast double 7 backrow for quick ball.
I think Jordan is more a 12 but want to how he fares at home with the experience of Price and Johnson around him.
Dempsey is a first choice player in my eyes but the lack of impact of the bench killed us last season
TOL is far to regulated for my liking Rory, I suspect every comment is waiting to be approved by an admin before it appears on public display, which can takes hours, sometimes days.
Really takes the engagement with other commenters away for me personally.
I look forward to seeing more articles on here 👍
Edinburgh did look sharp, Glasgow lacklustre and error prone. Hard to know how much it’s a matter of opposition…
No Hogg still for Exeter and no VDM for Worcester. Injuries?
Hogg had knee surgery over the summer. Reported to be well on track to return soon and be fit for autumn internationals.
We have options for both however I will miss our most capped Lion. Nothing quite Like VDM hunting for work. As long as they are restored for the 6 Nations.
compare this sh*t show with Ulsters bonus point win over connacht.
They should’ve pushed the boat out and tried to lure Dan McFarland back instead of this guy. McFarland will be looking for a move soon to the international stage, we could have offered him that in a straight dogfight with Mike Blair in the bid to fill Townsends shoes.
No dog fight. Blair for job as cheaper
If Macfarlane was that good we would never have let him go would we? Surely ! This guy isn’t going anywhere soon but someone should be asked to account for the last one who was wholly undercooked .
Whatever it is Rory B it’s very annoying and may well cause an exodus from TOL