This morning head coach Franco Smith announced his team to take on Ulster in the BKT United Rugby Championship.
Smith has made 7 changes to the side that took on Dragons at Rodney Park.
The first of the changes come in the front row as Nathan McBeth makes his first start in the URC. McBeth is joined by Johnny Matthews and Lucio Sordoni to make an all-new front row.
Lewis Bean retains his second-row jersey having featured in each of the last nine unbeaten games. Bean is joined by Scott Cummings as he pulls on a Glasgow jersey for the first time since October after picking up a foot injury in the Scotland camp.
The back row is unchanged from the victory in Wales which means Thomas Gordon and Sione Vailanu will be teaming up with returning Scotland International Jack Dempsey.
Jamie Dobie will start at scrum-half under the Friday night lights to team up with dynamic fly-half Tom Jordan to complete the half-backs.
Stafford McDowall will captain the side this week from the unchanged midfield as he is joined by Sam Johnson.
Cole Forbes and Sebastian Cancelliere retain their place on the wings with Ollie Smith completing the starting XV at full-back.
It is an all-Scotland lineup for the front row cover on the bench with Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown and Simon Berghan being released from the Scotland camp. JP du Preez rotates to the bench after starting at Rodney Park. Fresh from signing a new contract with the club Alex Samuels is included in the options off the bench alongside Euan Ferrie. The backs will be covered by Duncan Weir and returning Scotland international Ali Price completing the matchday 23.
Now this is a team. With Cancelliere in the form he is in as the league’s clean break leader with 18 so far and with the added boost from the returning Scotland players, this is one of the stronger teams Smith could have put out during the Six Nations. Given the current record of the team both at home and away, tomorrow night will be an exciting night.
T minus 1 day until kick off! Come on Warriors!!
Glasgow: Ollie Smith; Sebastian Cancelliere, Stafford McDowall, Sam Johnson, Cole Forbes; Tom Jordan, Jamie Dobie; Nathan McBeth, Johnny Matthews, Lucio Sordoni; Lewis Bean, Scott Cummings; Thomas Gordon, Sione Vailanu, Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, Simon Berghan, JP du Preez, Alex Samuel, Euan Ferrie, Ali Price, Duncan Weir.
Unavailable for selection: Sintu Manjezi (knee), Jack Mann (head), Domingo Miotti (back), Enrique Pieretto (chest), Ross Thompson (ankle), Murphy Walker (neck), Ryan Wilson (knee).
Ulster: Ethan McIlroy; Ben Moxham, James Hume, Stewart Moore, Jacob Stockdale; Billy Burns, Nathan Doak; Eric O’Sullivan, Tom Stewart, Jeff Toomaga-Allen; Alan O’Connor (capt), Kieran Treadwell; Harry Sheridan, Jordi Murphy, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: John Andrew, Rory Sutherland, Andy Warwick, Cormac Izuchukwu, Greg Jones, John Cooney, Luke Marshall, Craig Gilroy.
7 Responses
Surprised Forbes is in over McKay.
Will be interesting to see how McBeth goes against Toomaga-Allen, a good performance could show he is ready to step up to international rugby after WC.
Sutherland vs Bhatti on the Bench, good match up, also Cooney vs Price.
Off topic but best wishes to Blade Thomson who has confirmed his retirement from the game due to a head injury. Fingers crossed he doesn’t suffer any long term issues.
Really poor 1st half by Edinburgh, passive defense, too many kicks, blunt attack. Scarlets there for the taking
Worse 2nd half………..
IMO Scarlets pretty poor, Glasgow appear to know exactly what they are doing and well coached, Edinburgh don’t.
No pace or beef in Edinburgh backs, are there not any young, strong, fast Scottish boys in S6?
Where’s Cammy Hutchison?
Lang, Venter Haining, Boyle did well, Goosen can’t catch a break.
Unfortunately Shiel, Blain and Savala not up to standard required…..watched them several times.
Utterly unacceptable from Edinburgh. Clueless from start to finish. And the scoreline flattered them – Scarlets were nothing to write home about and missed multiple chances, especially in the first half.
These games are the bread and butter. It is pointless lifting yourself for big games if you don’t take care of business like today’s.
11th place in the URC and, if Glasgow don’t do us a favour in SA next week, we’ll have three teams breathing down our neck who will fancy their chances of overtaking us before the season is over.
For the quality and depth of player Edinburgh has at its disposal, it is a disgraceful position to be in. If someone offered us Pete Horne instead of Mike Blair – who just looked like a rabbit caught in headlights anytime the camera was on him – I’d bite their bloody arm off.
Edinburgh: That was poor , Edinburgh did not appear motivated and the Scarlet’s were nothing special.
Talking of under par , was it my telly or was the lighting sub standard. It just looked miserable for both sides.
It was in Wales, the place always looks miserable, empty crowds don’t help either.
Watched the Bulls – Stormers game a few hours beforehand and the crowd was apparently 44,000, great atmosphere.