Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets, 22 March

Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets

Saturday 22 March 2014
KO 18:30
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU, 63rd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Lloyd Linton , David Changleng (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Montgomery (SRU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

Live on S4C and BBC Heedrumhodrum

A. Teams:

I. Glasgow

Peter Murchie, Tommy Seymour, Richie Vernon, Alex Dunbar, Niko Matawalu, Duncan Weir, Chris Cusiter (capt), Gordon Reid, Dougie Hall, Jon Welsh, Tim Swinson, Jonny Gray, Rob Harley, Chris Fusaro, Josh Strauss.

Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Moray Low, Al Kellock, Leone Nakarawa, Ruaridh Jackson, Mark Bennett, Sean Maitland.

II. Scarlets

Liam Williams; Kristian Phillips, Jonathan Davies (capt), Olly Barkley, Jordan Williams; 10 Aled Thomas, Gareth Davies; Phil John, Ken Owens, Samson Lee, George Earle, Johan Snyman, Josh Turnbull, Sione Timani, John Barclay.

Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Rob Evans, Rhodri Jones, Jake Ball, Richard Kelly, Rhodri Williams, Adam Warren, Gareth Maule.

B. Form - head to head

23 Played 23
11 Wins 12
12 Losses 11
0 Draws 0
60 Tries 61
43 Conversions 40
51 Penalties 60
2 Drop Goals 1
545 Points 548
25 Avg. Age 25

C. Form - last season:

Fri 7 September 2012, 19:35
Glasgow Warriors 13 - 18 Scarlets
Scotstoun

Fri 12 April 2013, 19:05
Scarlets 29 - 6 Glasgow Warriors
Parc y Scarlets

Scarlets were our bogey team last year (seems to be the Dragons this year).

Bloody George bloody North beat us at home last time with a good try and I recall we were badly uncompetitive at Parc y Scarlets last time round. Glasgow absolutely has to take 4 points here at least - we cannot afford any (more) slip ups.

Am slightly concerned that one of Glasgow's favourite sons (wearing a red 7) is going to do a number on us.

Concern??? why should there be........you're an in form 7 returning to your old stomping ground, fresh physically and mentally because of a lack of six nations action due to massive selection aborations and playing against the very folks that kept you out of the Scotland team........can't imagine he will want to prove a point and certainly no need for concern.

I hope Barclay does have a stormer (as long as Glasgow win) - Scotland need as many players in form as possible, and a new coach will mean a new start. Or at least it should do...

Well we really need Glasgow to put a smile back on the glum face of Scottish rugby, and the message from Toonie should be: "forget everything Scott Johnson has told you over the last few months".

Glasgow need to get back on the front foot and play the type of fast paced yet physical rugby that was so successful last season. Hopefully the return of Cusack will get them an edge in the scrum, and I'd get Matawalu back at 9 to capitalise (or on the bench coming on at 9 on the 60 minute mark).

What are the injuries looking like at the moment for Glasgow? I'ts been a rough season on that front but hopefully a few players can get back and firing for the end of season run-in. Stuart Hogg should be relatively fresh - can he play or is there a suspension coming his way?

I'd like/expect:

Grant Welsh, MacArthur, Cusack, J Gray, Kellock Nakawara, Eddie, Fusaro, Strauss, Cusiter, Russell, Jones, Bennett, Vernon, Hughes (IN Seymour if fit), Murchie



*I take it Hogg will be suspended?

Doubt Dunbar will go straight back in. Probably needs counselling after last Saturday, and having to mark three Lions for most of the match.

Is Kellock ready to come back and inspect rucks already? I guess you don't need much fitness to walk around the pitch shouting inspiring things like "come on lads". I'd start with Swinson and Gray with Naka or Ryder on the bench. Swinson is another who'll be keen to play, just to get Scott Johnson's regime out of his system.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Doubt Dunbar will go straight back in. Probably needs counselling after last Saturday, and having to mark three Lions for most of the match.

Is Kellock ready to come back and inspect rucks already? I guess you don't need much fitness to walk around the pitch shouting inspiring things like "come on lads". I'd start with Swinson and Gray with Naka or Ryder on the bench. Swinson is another who'll be keen to play, just to get Scott Johnson's regime out of his system.

I think I should go back to bed ASAP, forgot these games were on this week and some Glasgow players...

So yeah I'll edit my selection.

Warriors team announced tomorrow.
I predict; Angela on the wing and Wetern Isles in the second row.

Scarlets reporting that they expect to have all their internationals available, injury permitting.

Would hope that same happens with Glasgow and most of ours who were with Scotland are available to play.

Monumental bummer that we're potentially without Hogg, Maitland, Seymour and DTH.

Dot - do you know how any of these injuries are doing? Is Maitland gone for the season?

Would Glasgow like Dougie Fife too? Might as well loan him to Glasgow as well.

No need - we've already got the Selkirk Pixie that you gave us.

Don't complain - the little pixie has been more use to you in 80 minutes than he has been for us in two seasons. I look forward to seeing Geoff "Olo Brown" Cross ripping up the Rabo for the rest of the season.

George Carlin wrote:Monumental bummer that we're potentially without Hogg, Maitland, Seymour and DTH.

Dot - do you know how any of these injuries are doing? Is Maitland gone for the season?

Maitland should be back in a couple of weeks.

think this one will be a sore one for glasgow. dont think ive seen glasgow have a decent showing against them since the firhill days

Are we down to Niko for fullback. I can't think of anyone else

cakeordeath wrote:Are we down to Niko for fullback. I can't think of anyone else

Peter Murchie is back fit, well he was a couple of weeks back. Peter Horne is on the bench for Stirling tomorrow, he will be a great addition to the squad in the coming weeks, assuming he comes back ok from injury.

Warriors

Murchie

Seymour
Vernon
Dunbar
Niko

Weir
Cusiter

Reid
Hall
Welsh
Swinson
Gray
Harley
Fusaro
Strauss

Replacements
Brown
Jerry
Low
Kellock
Nakarawa
Jackson
Bennett
Maitland

Good to see Maitland recovered ahead of schedule.  Interesting that Vernon seems to be the first choice 13 at the moment.

With Niko on the wing Toonie is maybe playing the law of averages card and hoping that he must at least once put in a good performance there.

Not a bad looking side. Especially positive when you consider that; NoMaits, The Tackle Monster, Big Al and Seymour were all possibly injured and unavailable for the foreseeable. Given our current state of affairs it's possibly as strong as we could hope for. And, Richie Vee selected ahead of   in the centres: don't tell Asbo.
Just heard: the half-time entertainment is the Scotstoun 50m Handicap. Carlin Western Isles will race the Schizoid one from the half way line to the scout hut, consume a portion of Mrs Singh's finest, swally a pint of Duechars and then sprint back to the halfway line.The winner receives a signed copy of Fran and Anna's "Scandinavian Delights" dvd,the loser gets to hold Asbo's hand while the referendum results are announced.
" The handicap?" I hear you ask.
Western Isles must complete the course with the Mighty Coo on his back. Schiz can't leave the Scout Hut until he's paid for his drink.
The second half of the match will begin once both contestants have completed the course, sometime in August.

I can't believe Gordon Reid is being selected over Yanuyanutawa after what the Fijian did to Mike Ross in Dublin, Reid is a poor scrummager and if the weather is anything to go by, he will get absolutely smashed by Sampson Lee.

Interesting that Nakarawa covers the back row on the bench.

Edinburgh did Glasgow a favour by beating the Ospreys, time for Glasgow to return the favour and not allow the Scarlets any sort of bonus point.

Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:With Niko on the wing Toonie is maybe playing the law of averages card and hoping that he must at least once put in a good performance there.

I'd have played either Bennett or Maitland on the wing ahead of Niko personally. I don't see Niko as particularly versatile, and he's much better causing havoc (for both sides) from 9, where he can tap and go at will.

It's a real shame for Mark Bennett, and I mean that in all seriousness. To be demoted behind Richie Vernon must be pretty disappointing for the most hyped Scotland back for a decade. Any Glasgow fans actually feel that Vernon is the better player at 13?

Pleased to see the partnership of Swinson and Jonny Gray playing, and Fraser Brown on the bench.

Fair play to all the Scotland guys for coming straight back in. Especially Dunbar and Weir who played 80 minutes of every game.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

Dorothy_Mantooth wrote:With Niko on the wing Toonie is maybe playing the law of averages card and hoping that he must at least once put in a good performance there.

I'd have played either Bennett or Maitland on the wing ahead of Niko personally. I don't see Niko as particularly versatile, and he's much better causing havoc (for both sides) from 9, where he can tap and go at will.

It's a real shame for Mark Bennett, and I mean that in all seriousness. To be demoted behind Richie Vernon must be pretty disappointing for the most hyped Scotland back for a decade. Any Glasgow fans actually feel that Vernon is the better player at 13?

Pleased to see the partnership of Swinson and Jonny Gray playing, and Fraser Brown on the bench.

Perfect illustration of the lack of playing opportunities in the Scottish pro game; Bennett needs to be playing but Vernon has looked to have potential as a centre as well (obviously a different type of player but also worth developing).

That's a pretty strong team for Glasgow straight after the internationals, they are taking this game very seriously, which is good.

Good to see the rumours about Harley being injured were a bit wide of the mark as we are looking a little light in the back row. Mind you Nakarawa might be better suited at no.8 than in the second row anyway.

Maitland probably not fit enough to come straight back in but we will see him at some stage, probably with Niko moving to scrum half. Giving him the last 20 mins there may actually be the best way of playing him.

Not sure about Vernon ahead of Bennett, but he does not seem to have quite kicked on the way we had hoped this year, partly I guess due to injury and then not getting a run in the team. He needs to take his chance when he gets it. Vernon seems to have done that and has looked surprisingly comfortable in the position. He is going to be up against JD this time though, so better be on his game.

A week to early for Cross as well, but the front row looks fairly solid. It would be good to see Brown get a good run of games now as well to show what he can do.

Provided Bennett gets on for decent game time and gets the opportunity to make an impact, I suppose there's room for both, but by now Bennett really needs to be playing 13 week in week out in order to fulfil his potential.

However, tt's difficult to make too strong an argument for Bennett. If he can't win the 13 jersey off Richie Vernon then we're not looking at a special player (or alternatively, Toonie is having a "Scott Johnson" moment).

Scarlets - pretty strong:

15 Liam Williams, 14 Kristian Phillips, 13 Jonathan Davies ©, 12 Olly Barkley, 11 Jordan Williams, 10 Aled Thomas, 9 Gareth Davies, 1 Phil John, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Samson Lee, 4 George Earle, 5 Johan Snyman, 6 Josh Turnbull, 7 John Barclay, 8 Sione Timani

Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Rob Evans, Rhodri Jones, Jake Ball, Richard Kelly, Rhodri Williams, Adam Warren, Gareth Maule

Olly Barkely - there's a player I haven't seen or heard of in a while. Barkley and Davies on paper is a really decent combination, and Liam Williams is probably delighted to be facing Scottish opposition again after the uncontested training session last Saturday.

I think this will be close, but the Warriors should edge it.

Scotstoun looks empty

Not a great start from.Glasgow. Still 3 - 0

Probably worst crowd I have seen at scotstoun but then again it is the last day of the club season. Hopefully glasgow try and play a bit because this team has potential to score plenty of tries.

Scotstoun is totally empty

When are the unwashed deploying carlin isles?

Glasgow haven't looked like they can score a try all season and this game is going that way as well. Everything is just a little frantic

Yep, we do have staggeringly few bonus points.

Who the hell is commentating and keeps referring to the Scarlets as "Llanelli"?

Even I know that's wrong.

Ed Kalman

Jeez - I hope Weir's planning to kick better than that tonight.

Got to be a card shown soon Scarlets are giving penalties away like a broken bandit pays out pound coins

Weir's nose looks its been moved out of place

What. The Scarlets prop was at a 90 degree angle

That had to be offside from the kick scarlets not getting the rub

We need a try after all this oressure

Scarlets hooker not rolling away

Sweet

Hmmm did Rolland get in the way?

Soft try well played making the most of the weak defence

About time. Stamping at the last ruck as well

Seen cards given for less

Far from happy as to how Glasgow are playing