HC, Pool 2, Round 6: Glasgow Warriors v Toulon

Glasgow Warriors v Rugby Club Toulonnais

Saturday 18 January 2014
KO: 15:40
Scotstoun Stadium Glasgow

Live on Sky Sports/France 2

Referee: JP Doyle (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Martin Fox (England), Paul Dix (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

A. Current Standings:

1	Toulon	5	4	0	1	155	96	4	20
2	Cardiff Blues	5	3	0	2	106	129	1	13
3	Glasgow	5	2	0	3	90	115	2	10
4	Exeter	5	1	0	4	99	110	4	8

B. Form:

1. Glasgow

13/10/13	16:00	P2		Toulon	51 - 28	Glasgow Warriors		Stade Félix Mayol	14,145
20/10/13	14:00	P2		Glasgow Warriors	20 - 16	Exeter Chiefs		Scotstoun Stadium	6,047
6/12/13	20:00	P2		Cardiff Blues	29 - 20	Glasgow Warriors		Cardiff Arms Park	6,144
13/12/13	20:00	P2		Glasgow Warriors	7 - 9	Cardiff Blues		Scotstoun Stadium	5,429
11/1/14	15:00	P2		Exeter Chiefs	10 - 15	Glasgow Warriors		Sandy Park Stadium	6,978

 
2. Toulon
 

13/10/13	16:00	P2		Toulon	51 - 28	Glasgow Warriors		Stade Félix Mayol	14,145
19/10/13	13:35	P2		Cardiff Blues	19 - 15	Toulon		Cardiff Arms Park	11,573
7/12/13	13:35	P2		Exeter Chiefs	9 - 14	Toulon		Sandy Park Stadium	10,744
14/12/13	14:35	P2		Toulon	32 - 20	Exeter Chiefs		Stade Félix Mayol	13,567
11/1/14	16:40	P2		Toulon	43 - 20	Cardiff Blues		Allianz Riviera	31,170

 
C. Teams:

1. Glasgow
Stuart Hogg, Sean Maitland, Sean Lamont, Alex Dunbar, Niko Matawalu, Ruaridh Jackson, Henry Pyrgos, Ryan Grant, Pat MacArthur, Moray Low, Leone Nakarawa, Tim Swinson, James Eddie, Chris Fusaro (capt), Ryan Wilson.

Replacements: Dougie Hall, Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Ed Kalman, Tom Ryder, Tyrone Holmes, Chris Cusiter, Duncan Weir, Richie Vernon.

2. Toulon

From following squad:

Forwards: Steffon Armitage, Bakkies Botha, Virgile Bruni- Craig Burden - Martin Castrogiovanni, Levan Chilachava, Xavier Chiocci, Pierrick Gunther, Carl Hayman, Konstantin Mikautadze, Jean-Charles Orioli, Andrew Sheridan, Juanne Smith, Jocelino Suta, Joe Van Niekerk.

Backs: Delon Armitage, Mathieu Bastareaud, Michael Claassens, Matt Giteau, Maxime Mermoz, Frédéric Michalak, Drew Mitchell, David Smith, Sébastien Tillous-Borde, Jonny Wilkinson, Rudi Wulf.

Wow - you've really upped your game with your threads now you're a mod!   

I'm assuming the Edinburgh one is pending yeah?   

RDW_Scotland wrote:Wow - you've really upped your game with your threads now you're a mod!   

I'm assuming the Edinburgh one is pending yeah?   

 

I'll take that as meaning you're hurrying off to make it...

Certainly some mixed results for Glasgow there (suffering the double against Blues and doing the double over Exeter). Be nice to see you put one over on Toulon and halt the juggernaut that is Boudjellal's bank account.

Glasgow still aren't playing well, and that's what is bothering me. Much more exciting to be an Edinburgh fan at present.

The Hootsmon reported that the second half of the Chiefs game was dull as poop, the best that was sayable being that Glasgow's defence was excellent.

We really need to stop playing like we're afraid of making mistakes. That said, the other thing the Scotsman said was that Rhubarb played better with Pyrgos because 90% of the time he knew what was going to happen (i.e. Henners passing him the ball). I would also love to see Toulon take one up the pipe. They're intimidating though - goes to show how much Blues achieved in bringing them down.

George Carlin wrote: Much more exciting to be an Edinburgh fan at present.

About time!

still waiting on the Edinburgh thread Mr Carlin!!!

(15:30 – 17:45) Kick-Off – 15:40 – Glasgow Warriors v Toulon - Heineken Cup Pool 2 - Sky Sports2

Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: Martin Fox (England), Paul Dix (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

George Carlin wrote:Glasgow still aren't playing well, and that's what is bothering me. Much more exciting to be an Edinburgh fan at present.

The Hootsmon reported that the second half of the Chiefs game was dull as poop, the best that was sayable being that Glasgow's defence was excellent.

We really need to stop playing like we're afraid of making mistakes. That said, the other thing the Scotsman said was that Rhubarb played better with Pyrgos because 90% of the time he knew what was going to happen (i.e. Henners passing him the ball). I would also love to see Toulon take one up the pipe. They're intimidating though - goes to show how much Blues achieved in bringing them down.

Two things George. The second half was rather like watching vintage Leeds united settling for 1-0 away from home. Glasgow were never going to lose and seemed content to do just enough. I've felt that they were playing within themselves for most of the season and I cannot fathom what has changed from last season.
Secondly, when the Nutter replaced Pyrgos, Schiz and I told the Chiefs fans around us to keep an eye on him At seventy nine minutes and 58 seconds he took the ball out of a maul right on the touchline in our 22 and, expecting a kick to touch to end the game they looked at us as if to say, "He didn't do anything special". The Fijian Weegian then decide to put up a box kick straight to their full back. This led to a very interesting last play where the Chiefs could have scored the winning try. Mind you it was worth it to see the Exeter lads shaking their heads in utter bewilderment.

Yes that was the second game in a row where our replacement shs (Pythagoras and Nutter) decided, when in a narrow winning position, to kick the ball back to the opposition with seconds remaining ! Unbelievably brainless rugby !

jimbopip wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Glasgow still aren't playing well, and that's what is bothering me. Much more exciting to be an Edinburgh fan at present.

The Hootsmon reported that the second half of the Chiefs game was dull as poop, the best that was sayable being that Glasgow's defence was excellent.

We really need to stop playing like we're afraid of making mistakes. That said, the other thing the Scotsman said was that Rhubarb played better with Pyrgos because 90% of the time he knew what was going to happen (i.e. Henners passing him the ball). I would also love to see Toulon take one up the pipe. They're intimidating though - goes to show how much Blues achieved in bringing them down.

Two things George. The second half was rather like watching vintage Leeds united settling for 1-0 away from home. Glasgow were never going to lose and seemed content to do just enough. I've felt that they were playing within themselves for most of the season and I cannot fathom what has changed from last season.
Secondly, when the Nutter replaced Pyrgos, Schiz and I told the Chiefs fans around us to keep an eye on him At seventy nine minutes and 58 seconds he took the ball out of a maul right on the touchline in our 22 and, expecting a kick to touch to end the game they looked at us as if to say, "He didn't do anything special". The Fijian Weegian then decide to put up a box kick straight to their full back. This led to a very interesting last play where the Chiefs could have scored the winning try. Mind you it was worth it to see the Exeter lads shaking their heads in utter bewilderment.

Peter Horne is who has changed !

interesting to see that stuart ' I've got a smile like a mouth full of broken glass' barnes reckons that glasgow are in with a sniff of an upset. Also quite looking forward to a saturday afternoon swally in the scout hut.

In order to combat their big pack how about this 23 :-

1. Grant
2. Hall
3. Welsh
4. Swinson
5. Ryder
6. Strauss -if fit if not Harley to 6 and Holmes at 7
7. Harley
8. Wilson
9. Cusiter
10 Jackson
11. DTH VDM
12. Dunbar
13. Lamont
14. Maitland
15.Hogg
16. Jerry Yaya
17. MacArthur
18. Kalman
19. Big Naka
20. Jedi
21 Fusaro
22. Madman - suitably chastened hopefully
23. Weir

Well my missus is seeing maroon 5 tonight at the hydro and is apparently standing in front of Chris Cusiter and another player she doesn't recognise - good thing she's only 5ft 3 so cusiter can see!

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:In order to combat their big pack how about this 23 :-

1. Grant
2. Hall
3. Welsh
4. Swinson
5. Ryder
6. Strauss -if fit if not Harley to 6 and Holmes at 7
7. Harley
8. Wilson
9. Cusiter
10 Jackson
11. DTH VDM
12. Dunbar
13. Lamont
14. Maitland
15.Hogg
16. Jerry Yaya
17. MacArthur
18. Kalman
19. Big Naka
20. Jedi
21  Fusaro
22. Madman - suitably chastened hopefully
23.  Weir

I would be happy with that team, Schiz. A reasonable level of Fijian mentalness to descend from the bench.

tigertattie wrote:still waiting on the Edinburgh thread Mr Carlin!!!

FFS - like having a whole squadron of nagging wives:
https://www.606v2.com/t51020-hc-pool-6-round-6-munster-rugby-v-edinburgh

This is the team i would pick:

Welsh
MacArthur
Low
Nakarawa
Swinson
Eddie
Harley
Strauss (or Wilson if not fit)

Cusiter
Weir
DTH
Dunbar
Slamont
Maitland
Hogg

Hall
Grant
Kalman
Ryder
Wilson (or Holmes if Strauss not fit)
Matawalu
Jackson
Bennett (tempted with Vernon)

Bennett had a run out for Ayr last week, so hopefully we will see him play this time, at least off the bench.

Gray J needs to prove fitness before the internationals as well, so maybe we will see him off the bench again, unless a run out in the B&I cup would be the better option for him.

I am not sure I subscribe to the, lets pick our biggest 15 players against them, theory. In terms of pure power it is never going to be a battle we are going to win. We will have a better chance if we try to run them around on a cold wet horrible day and see if they are up for it. They have already qualified and do not always travel well, so they may not be!

I guess a lot is going to depend on the pitch and the conditions. I wonder what they are going to feel like if it becomes an 80 min role around in the mud. It may seem a long way away from the south of France!

Glasgah, do the world of rugby a favour and beat the sh1te out of Toulon - would at least mean they wouldn't get a home QF!

Selfishly I'd like Murray Low to start at tighthead. A run out against Sheridan would be good preparation ahead of the 6 Nations. I'm concerned he hasn't played enough rugby considering he's our first choice tighthead for the 6 Nations. I'd want Grant to play as well against Hayman, with MacArthur at hooker. This would be a great test for them, against a front row probably better than anything they'll have to face in the 6 Nations.

My Glasgow team (with a Scotland fan hat on):

1.Grant 2.MacArthur 3.Low 4.Swinson 5.J Gray 6.Strauss 7.Fusaro 8.Wilson 9.Cusiter 10.Weir 11.DTH 12.Dunbar 13.S Lamont 14.Maitland 15.Hogg

16.Jerry 17.Hall 18.Welsh 19.Naka 20.Harley 21.Matawalu 22.Jackson 23.Seymour

TV (tbc) ?????

PenfroPete wrote:(15:30 – 17:45) Kick-Off – 15:40 – Glasgow Warriors v Toulon - Heineken Cup Pool 2 - Sky Sports2

Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: Martin Fox (England), Paul Dix (England)
Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)

Not a chance Moray Low will play - trust me on this

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Not a chance Moray Low will play - trust me on this

Why not, or how no in Kevin Bridge speak, ?
Is it the Exeter deal? Or is he not up to beasting Sheridan?
Speak o wise one.

Exeter deal - although as you are aware most Execeter fans would rather have Big Bad Bob Harley than Low

Does this mean Low won't start too many matches between now and the end of the season? This would make sense of Angela missing out on the 6N squad.
Also thought our back row were mightily impressive on Saturday.
Although nothing makes sense of Barclay's continued absence.

Yes and Fusaro was excellent along with Wilson and the always reliable ginja tackle monster. Jacko must start if it is either Cus or Pyrgos at SH.

Glasgow Warriors team to play Toulon, Heineken Cup, Scotstoun Stadium, Saturday 18 January (kick-off 3.40pm):

15. Stuart Hogg
14. Sean Maitland
13. Sean Lamont
12. Alex Dunbar
11. Niko Matawalu
10. Ruaridh Jackson
9. Henry Pyrgos

1. Ryan Grant
2. Pat MacArthur
3. Moray Low
4. Leone Nakarawa
5. Tim Swinson
6. James Eddie
7. Chris Fusaro (Captain)
8. Ryan Wilson

16. Dougie Hall
17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa
18. Ed Kalman
19. Tom Ryder
20. Tyrone Holmes
21. Chris Cusiter
22. Duncan Weir
23. Richie Vernon

It's like some beautiful acid trip. 606v2 has officially influenced a club's selection. We're throught the looking glass here, people.

FES...   

Great to see that front row selection. Really important for Scotland that Murray Low gets a start here, and the entire combination is in the Scotland squad.

The Toulon front row is better than any 6 Nations front row in my opinion, and there's massive power in the Toulon second row as well. This is an excellent test for these guys ahead of the 6 Nations. Pleased to see Swinson starting as well.

Good team selection from a Scotland perspective, and of course Vernon's move to the backs has been long heralded. The new Jonah Lomu?

IanBru wrote:FES...   

Pleased someone spotted that!

I had seized upon Schizoid's knowledgable assertion that Murray Low definitely wouldn't start. First and last time I pay attention to Schizoid!!

funnyExiledScot wrote:

IanBru wrote:FES...   

Pleased someone spotted that!

I had seized upon Schizoid's knowledgable assertion that Murray Low definitely wouldn't start. First and last time I pay attention to Schizoid!!

   It's moments like this that make my day!

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Not a chance Moray Low will play - trust me on this

Gosh o wise one, Low is playing.
IanBru, if you see Schiz at the match please buy him a drink to calm him down. I'll repay you when our paths, eventually, cross.

Guys I have been possessed by the weirdest conspiracy theory since "Kylie is Gordon Brown in drag", which makes more sense the more I think about it. (MY theory not Kylie is...)
Here goes. Listening to David Flatman on Rugby Tonight was interesting. He started by saying how at Bath no-one had paid any attention to the Warriors till they played them and were very impressed. He then said he had watched them quite a bit and spoke very highly of their quick, high tempo style.So far so sensible
Now, there is a school of thought that we lost the play-off to the Ladyboys because we had peaked about 2-3 games before the end of the season. A lot of people have been commenting that although winning, Glasgow seem to be doing just enough. Certainly there seems to be a lack of high tempo rugby. Despite which if we win our two games in hand with BP's we are top off the league.
SO... Is Toonie a genius of Einsteinish proportions? Has he decided that we will peak DURING the play- offs and as such has the team playing a slightly slower less expansive game? It would explain a lot.

Wot no Blutomeister?

George, the bearded one came off hurt after about twenty minutes at Exeter. He was walking alright at the end of the game but given that Harley, Wilson and Fusaro will be absent for the 6N then he is probably being kept fresh for that period.

George Carlin wrote:Wot no Blutomeister?

Concussed last week apparently, so sitting this one out. Eddie won't let anyone down, he deserves a start.

jimbopip wrote:

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Not a chance Moray Low will play - trust me on this

Gosh o wise one, Low is playing.
IanBru, if you see Schiz at the match please buy him a drink to calm him down. I'll repay you when our paths, eventually, cross.

Will do, my man. Tell me, is Schitz a 'don't care, so it's brown' kind of drinker, or is he more of a Prosecco and smoked mackerel bellini chap?

jimbopip wrote:Guys I have been possessed by the weirdest conspiracy theory since "Kylie is Gordon Brown in drag", which makes more sense the more I think about it. (MY theory not Kylie is...)

Don't feel bad. There was a two year period when I was utterly convinced that if I listened to Scotland play football on the radio, we won, while of I watched them on TV, we'd lose. Eventually I had both on at the same time, and a black hole opened in the centre spot at Hampden. I was having dinner with my girlfriend last week, and she casually mentioned that she thought that 9/11 was a 'false flag' attack perpetrated by the CIA and Halluburton. Now, she's a really smart girl, but as she jumped into theories on the melting point if steel, share prices and intelligence failures, all I could say, in a hysterical, strangled voice was "No, it bloody wasn't!!". The vein in my temple is still twitching from that one.

jimbopip wrote:
Here goes. Listening to David Flatman on Rugby Tonight was interesting. He started by saying how at Bath no-one had paid any attention to the Warriors till they played them and were very impressed. He then said he had watched them quite a bit and spoke very highly of their quick, high tempo style.So far so sensible
Now, there is a school of thought that we lost the play-off to the Ladyboys because we had peaked about 2-3 games before the end of the season. A lot of people have been commenting that although winning, Glasgow seem to be doing just enough. Certainly there seems to be a lack of high tempo rugby. Despite which if we win our two games in hand with BP's we are top off the league.
SO... Is Toonie a genius of Einsteinish proportions? Has he decided that we will peak DURING the play- offs and as such has the team playing a slightly slower less expansive game? It would explain a lot.

To be honest, I think this has more to do with us playing better in the spring when pitched have firmed up and handling is easier. If I recall, we only really started playing 'Toonie-ball' after the HC was dead and buried. The win against Northampton set us up for that ridiculous run of BP wins. The kind of crazy offloading we saw last year against the Dragons only works when the ball isn't sopping wet.

Don't get me wrong, I like your theory (voucher for tin foil?), but you can't deny that we've been playing with wet balls since October. I know I have.

James Eddie could count himself unlucky he's not in the Scotland squad as there's so much talent in the back row. A really decent consistent player.

Really interested to see how Richie Vernon does. I expect Toulon will think he's just another forward as they pick their back row replacement as 23 sometimes.

Thoughts on Matawalu on the wing? We never really do that well when he plays on the wing, but it's probably just coincidence.

Think Dunbar & Lamont's a good pairing. Could see Vernon > Prygos, Lamont to the wing etc and Vernon getting some game time.

Looking forward to this and quick highlights/upload of match as its Toulon.

Ian, I like the wet ball theory but we've had some dry pitches and the tempo just wasn't there. I know what you mean about the Saints match; after that we seemed to explode out of the traps every match. Some would argue that it was inevitable we would run out of steam , to mix my metaphors, which we did at Leinster.
Personally I think Toonie's a genius but sometimes in the same way Niko's a genius.   Hence the Muppetometer. (5% since you asked)
Schiz, if left to his own devices, is pretty much a connoisseur of fine ales    with the occasional nippy sweety   for luck.
ASBO on the other hand is much more eclectic in his approach to liver damage. My personal highlight was not the hip flasks for that long period between kick off and half time but the moment in his local some 250 miles from Essex when his eyes lit up at the guest ale which he insisted we all try. "Not sure where it's brewed .." he began.
"I do, it's in the village just down the road from mine." said I. And travel's meant to broaden the mind!  
I still think Toonie is trying to pace them to peak in the play offs.

Interesting theories gents    Apologies for letting the side down re Moray 'Not Murray" Low. How was I to know GT would rest 'Angela' Welsh and Bob Harley ffs !

Oh and Jimbo - think the less said about the ASBO's local or local lunatic asylum the better !

i cant believe i only just realised im actually in glasgow for this! are there any spare tickets by any chance if so how much would they be? aint visited my hometown for years!

i mean on actual sale btw not from 606 touts!

Tout? Moi?? Effy, fill your boots pal.

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/scottishrugby/details/event.aspx?itemref=3487

(Incidentally, I do have a spare ticket to Scotland A v Saxons, sat next to my good self ... PM me if you're interested... )

Ineffable,
yes but not many - one of my dwindling band of amigos just got 2 for the East stand - yesterday in fact .

Ineffable

http://www.sky.com/shop/tv/sports/

Ineffable wrote:i cant believe i only just realised im actually in glasgow for this! are there any spare tickets by any chance if so how much would they be? aint visited my hometown for years!

Try this :-


More than 5,500 tickets have been sold for the game and tickets are still available from http://www.glasgowwarriors.org and from the ticket office on 0844 800 3490 (Thursday & Friday, 9am-5pm). Tickets purchased online can be printed at home or collected from the stadium on matchday. The ticket office at Scotstoun Stadium will be open from 10am on Saturday and subject to availability tickets can be purchased right up until kick-off.

There's plenty of space behind this row of seats to make the match enjoyable if you're a die hard Glasgow fan:

http://1funny.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/big-sofa.jpg

    

Great to see James 'Jedi' Eddie get a start - a true Glasgow legend along with Big AK, Thom Evans and Bernie Stortoni !

Ineffable, join Ian Bru self and the North Stand massif in the Scout hall for pre-match cocktails - way heyyyyy !

As a poster on the Warriors Forum has stetted - does Townsend ever actually learn anything from defeats ? He almost always claims lessons are learned but by playing Matawalu at 11 and Pyrgos at both of whom were utterly woeful in the 1st 40 in Toulon he is chancing another total dicking !