Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Rugby, 5 December

               
Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Rugby
Saturday 5 December 2015
KO: 15:00
Scotstoun Stadium

Live on Sky Sports

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 129th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Lloyd Linton, Dunx McClement (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: Paul Minto (SRU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

A. Head to Head

31 Played 31
9 Wins 20
20 Losses 9
2 Draws 2
555 Points 734

B. Form

Sat 6 September 2014
Glasgow Warriors 22 - 20 Leinster Rugby

Fri 27 March 2015
Leinster Rugby 34 - 34 Glasgow Warriors

C. Teams

Glasgow Warriors

[tbc]

Leinster Rugby

[tbc]

Should be a humdinger this one! Both teams desperately need to win this, probably more so Glasgow. Either way, the loser will find themselves with some catching up to do.

Will be interesting to see what happens with squad selection given it is the weekend before the Euro double header.

Glasgow need to sort a few() things out this week. I am now of the opinion that Europe is over for us so concentrate on defending the Championship - esp with the final at The Library

The performance at the weekend was so lamentable I cannot see how the Weege are going to drag a good result out of this one. They simply must scape a win, any kind of win. If they cannot beat an under achieving Leinster then the wheels will well and truly have come off before we hit the guts of the season.
The thought of putting out a weakened team against Racing 92 is not a nice thought either. even before Carter starts they are looking really sharp, with Machinaud pulling the strings behind a huge, mobile pack.

Glasgow really need to win this; firstly to stay in touch the top four and secondly to try to discover some cohesion and confidence before our double header against the Scarlets. I'm slightly more confident than Schiz: two wins against DTH, Barcs and thirteen other blokes and we'll be well set up to travel to Franklin Gardens. Remember, by the time Racing come to Scotstoun they should have qualified and be putting out a second string.

My main concern is that the team still has a pre-season feel about it, inasmuch as the various units do not seem to be working together or gelling with the rest of the team.
Now I know the Tombola has made the idea of a First XV outmoded but I think there are players already who we all agree are showing some kind of form and should start on Saturday.

1.
2.Mamu, because there's no one else standing.
3.
4. Naka, is one week off enough? Probably see Swinson
5. Jonny, but he needs a rest so probably Oscar. Cummings to bench?
6. If Jonny is rested, probably Harley as he gives a line out option.
7. None of Fozzie, Simone or Bluto have consistently convinced.
8. Arthur.
9. Blair.
10. Meatball. dancer looks tired and Wee Dunkie looks like he really wants the jersey.
11.
12. Dunbar, needs game time if he's to play in Europe.
13. Bennett, ditto.
14.
15.

As the attentive among you will have noticed I have omitted the props and back three.
The front row has not really functioned as a unit yet. Is it personnel? Or do they need gametime together? To change or not to change? That is the question, and knowing Toonie the answer will probably make us all smile.
The back three; if Murchie or Bryce were fit I think Hoggie would have been "rested " before now. He looks cream crackered, mentally if not physically. None of the wingers has looked as dangerous as they should. I get the feeling that drawing any three names out of a hat would be as good as anything at the moment. Personally I'd consider Hughes and Seymour with Horne at full back. So expect to see Schlong-Big T and Hogg.

I think this is a good opportunity to get Cusack back into the starting XV. The sooner he gets back to full fitness the better, preferrably with Reid at loosehead if fit.

The player who really needs a rest is Stuart Hogg. I'd certainly give him the weekend off. Is Rory Hughes fit? He could play 15, or even put Lamont at 15 with Big T and Junior on the wings.

Agree that Hogg needs a rest - he's just had a baby FFS and has had no time off since.

Seymour can do a job at 15 too.

Rory Hughes scored two tries at the weekend so should be fit.

funnyExiledScot wrote:I think this is a good opportunity to get Cusack back into the starting XV. The sooner he gets back to full fitness the better, preferrably with Reid at loosehead if fit.

The player who really needs a rest is Stuart Hogg. I'd certainly give him the weekend off. Is Rory Hughes fit? He could play 15, or even put Lamont at 15 with Big T and Junior on the wings.

Cusack started at tighthead on Friday - he also lasted until 60 mins and did not too bad.

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:I think this is a good opportunity to get Cusack back into the starting XV. The sooner he gets back to full fitness the better, preferrably with Reid at loosehead if fit.

The player who really needs a rest is Stuart Hogg. I'd certainly give him the weekend off. Is Rory Hughes fit? He could play 15, or even put Lamont at 15 with Big T and Junior on the wings.

Cusack started at tighthead on Friday - he also lasted until 60 mins and did not too bad.

Most importantly, did he came through the game unscathed or does he need a month off?

Was the scrum any better with him? Can't say i have been impressed by him since his come back, i think he is one of those players who suffered greatly from the new scrum rules.

Its hard to say as Treviso were pretty woeful and the referee was apparently doing all he could to allow them to waste time at the set piece. He (Cusack) appeared ok (if cream crackered) when he came off. Anyway to answer the question Cusack looked better then Puafisi - that is not difficult from what I've seen of the Tongan.

Good news then but that's not really hard to look better than Puafisi (even Jack Gilding could look better than him), still baffled and fuming over his signing

Puafisi was clearly an emergency signing. I suspect Toonie had little choice.

I think Glasgow should try to get Welsh back on board, and approach Exeter for Moray Low. Those two plus Fagerson and Part Time Mike should do the trick.

A big, steamy back row of Strauss, Ashe and Harley may be required here as we seem to have given up at the breakdown so do not need a Fusaro/Favaro type 7 as much. One on the bench would be good tbh.

Well I'd certainly stick with Adam Ashe at 8. Sounds like he played well against Treviso, and under some pressure as well.

I do like the look of Ashe. He certainly strikes me as a better option than Ryan Wilson, who isn't really a 6, 7 or an 8, who "plays above the ground", but does a wonderful impression of a fly hitting a windscreen when in a Scotland jersey. Perhaps he could move to 12 and make a nice partnership with Richie Vernon.

Ashe is very good and reminds me of Denton - although Ashe can and will pass.
Wilson is a strange one. In Belfast for the final he was immense all over the place and put in some shuddering hits on the big Ulster centres - he also floored POC on one occasion- that was when I knew we were going to win (admittedly we were 3 tries up by then !). Wilson brings a degree of reckless aggression to the party - sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. I will agree for Scotland he has been very ineffective.

I think Wilson should be consigned to the "James Eddie" category of player. Good servant for Glasgow at Pro12 level. That's all folks.

Yes - agree with you there fES, Wilson is not an international rugby player.

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:A big, steamy back row of Strauss, Ashe and Harley may be required here as we seem to have given up at the breakdown so do not need a Fusaro/Favaro type 7 as much.   One on the bench would be good tbh.  

I'm extremely worried that Toonie might try a 'Scott Johnson Bunch of 8s' like that in the 1872 Cup.

Our loose forwards will stand bewildered in the mud, dimly straining to hear the faint sound of John Hardie's laughter as he takes yet another ball away from the contact area.

George Carlin wrote:

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:A big, steamy back row of Strauss, Ashe and Harley may be required here as we seem to have given up at the breakdown so do not need a Fusaro/Favaro type 7 as much.   One on the bench would be good tbh.  

I'm extremely worried that Toonie might try a 'Scott Johnson Bunch of 8s' like that in the 1872 Cup.

Our loose forwards will stand bewildered in the mud, dimly straining to hear the faint sound of John Hardie's laughter as he takes yet another ball away from the contact area.

Sounds wonderful, although I'm not sure the selection of Chris Fusaro would alter that outcome.

Lord Owens of Mynyddcerrig with the whistle, so we can't blame the officials if we tank in this match too. Kenny Murray in the press recently saying that we've all got a RWC hangover and it's just a matter of time until we get our swing back.

I hope to shoite that this is true because we really cannot afford to lose this match.

I think having the likes of Cusack and Dunbar, plus Harley, Ashe and Big T knocking around is helpful. A group of players not involved in the World Cup who should be fresh.

"It is a huge game," said Glasgow's Duncan Weir in today's Evening Times. "It is not too long since we played over there, one we let slip from us. It is going to be a key game for our season to do a job on them.

The stand-off is hoping to start against the Irishmen after his appearance off the bench helped the Warriors squeeze out Treviso in last Friday's dour match at Scotstoun.

"You want to get the team moving," added Duncan. "Last week it was hard to do that, so it was just a case of getting the ball through my hands and letting others play.

"It was not about being too flash and trying outrageous things, it was about getting others into the game.

"Whether I am picked this week is up to Gregor Townsend, but I just want to play rugby."

Wonder if Dunky W starts and Russell is rested ? Wee Man looked good when he came on last week.

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:"It is a huge game," said Glasgow's Duncan Weir in today's Evening Times. "It is not too long since we played over there, one we let slip from us. It is going to be a key game for our season to do a job on them.

The stand-off is hoping to start against the Irishmen after his appearance off the bench helped the Warriors squeeze out Treviso in last Friday's dour match at Scotstoun.

"You want to get the team moving,[I've been practising passing the rugby ball]" added Duncan. "Last week it was hard to do that [last week I continued my rotten form], so it was just a case of getting the ball through my hands [Just to reiterate, I've been practising my passing] and letting others play [the poor performance wasn't my fault].

"It was not about being too flash and trying outrageous things [I'm not as good as Finn Russell, and can't do what he can do], it was about getting others into the game [Have I mentioned that I've been practising my passing].

"Whether I am picked this week is up to Gregor Townsend, but I just want to play rugby [I'm getting hacked off sitting on the bench]."

Wonder if Dunky W starts and Russell is rested ?    Wee Man looked good when he came on last week.  

Some edits. He seems desperate to promote the idea that he's a playmaker. Poor soul.

I would respect Weir a lot more if he just snapped and went on the record to say: "I'm going to kick the arse off that ball because that's the one thing that I'm actually any good at" and then high five the interviewer.

And later quietly admit that he is a registered dwarf for the purposes of getting his disabled parking sticker and eats 24 Gregg's Belgian buns per day

Agreed - the one man spin operation is a bit tragic. The only way in which Weir "gets the team moving" is by hoofing the ball out on the full so that the forwards have to chase the ball and then about turn and go all the way back.

Glasgow team :

15 Stuart Hogg

14 Taqele Naiyaravoro
13 Alex Dunbar
12 Peter Horne
11 Tommy Seymour

10 Duncan Weir
9 Mike Blair

1 Ryan Grant
2 James Malcolm
3 Sila Puafisi
4 Leone Nakarawa
5 Jonny Gray
6 Josh Strauss
7 Simone Favaro
8 Adam Ashe

Substitutes

16 Shalva Mamukashvili
17 Jerry Yanuyanutawa
18 Zander Fagerson
19 Tim Swinson
20 Robert Harley
21 Ali Price
22 Finn Russell
23 Sean Lamont

Looks like Hogg isn't going to get that rest! Surprised by that actually.

Looks like Glasgow are going to have to rest some of their key players either in one of the Euro games or the 1872 games.

Mike Cusack on the injury list yet again, this may sounds a bit harsh but what's the point of even having him in the squad?

RDW_Scotland wrote:Looks like Glasgow are going to have to rest some of their key players either in one of the Euro games or the 1872 games.

Good good.....not that it will affect the outcome....

Well. The Toonie Tombola continues to amaze and amuse in equal measure.
I can only assume that young Master Malcolm needs some first team experience before he's called into European cup action: but why not bring him on for the last 20?
You could argue that Shrek and Buffy's Mate are the form props at the moment; so starting Bane and the Slightly Disappointing Tongan is a bit of a surprise.
Dunbar at 13? I know he CAN play there but at present he must be third behind Richie V.
It is extremely possible that we end up with Dunbar 12, Schlong13, and Horne 15.
Finally, Meatball has earned his chance so let's just hope he gets enough quick ball to get the backs moving. There's a lot of skill and pace in that back line if they get the ball.

jimbopip wrote:
Dunbar at 13? I know he CAN play there but at present he must be third behind Richie V.

Seriously??

funnyExiledScot wrote:Looks like Hogg isn't going to get that rest! Surprised by that actually.

Jonny could have done with a week off too. Mind you we have two easy matches in December where we can rest them.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

jimbopip wrote:
Dunbar at 13? I know he CAN play there but at present he must be third behind Richie V.

Seriously??

Yes, but mainly because Ecky the brawler hasn't had enough game time at 12 to be back up to speed, so at 13 he must be way off the pace.

p.s. If you think any of us here are in the least interested in you nuptials, stag do, consummation, ritual waving of the bloodied sheet from the top of the Scott monument you are sadly mistaken. And if you think we're huffy because none of us were invited to said wedding or stag do....boy are you mistaken.

LEINSTER:

15. Rob Kearney
14. Zane Kirchner
13. Ben Te'o
12. Luke Fitzgerald
11. Dave Kearney
10. Ian Madigan
9. Eoin Reddan
1. Cian Healy
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Marty Moore
4. Tom Denton
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Rhys Ruddock CAPTAIN
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jordi Murphy

16. Sean Cronin
17. Peter Dooley
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Ross Molony
20. Dominic Ryan
21. Isaac Boss
22. Cathal Marsh
23. Garry Ringrose

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 129th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Lloyd Linton, Dunx McClement (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: Paul Minto (SRU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

jimbopip wrote:
p.s. If you think any of us here are in the least interested in you nuptials, stag do, consummation, ritual waving of the bloodied sheet from the top of the Scott monument you are sadly mistaken. And if you think we're huffy because none of us were invited to said wedding or stag do....boy are you mistaken.

That hurt Jimbo. That hurt.

And in my defence, Maj was asking me about it!

Looks like it's Jimbo's time of the month.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

jimbopip wrote:
p.s. If you think any of us here are in the least interested in you nuptials, stag do, consummation, ritual waving of the bloodied sheet from the top of the Scott monument you are sadly mistaken. And if you think we're huffy because none of us were invited to said wedding or stag do....boy are you mistaken.

That hurt Jimbo.  That hurt.

And in my defence, Maj was asking me about it!

And as for "Not grooming".....

If asking me to sext you a photo of me in my "hooker's outfit" isn't grooming then Jack Cuthbert is the new Usain Bolt.

Before the Vice Squad moves in to shut these boards down, I just wanted to say it was nice knowing you all.

And Mike "The Blade" Blair will be Miked up for the game. Now we know why Shrek is having a rest.

Just seen the teams.

Toonie certainly puts the 'mental' in 'experimental'. No idea how we're going to go here.

Young James Malcolm has looked good so far so like it. I can only presume Hoggy demanded to play. He is a chap with a point to prove. Looks like the field will be a bit damp after a night of torrential rain

Jags and Sellick games off. Does not look good for our game as rain back to downpour levels here. Not much evidence of Leinster lads and lasses in the WE hostelries last night either.

Game is subject to a pitch inspection.

Will be a complete nightmare for Glasgow this season of it has to be cancelled.

My game is off anyway - thank feck for that!

Scotstoun pitch is terrible and doesn't really hold up in these circumstance unlike some other pitches, particularly in Ireland. The game will almost certainly be called off.

The pitch is not terrible.   It sits about 6 feet above a layer of rock hence drainage is a problem.   This season has looked very good but it has been relatively dry until now.  If Celtic and all their resources in an enclosed arena cannot get their pitch ready what chance have we got.

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:The pitch is not terrible.   It sits about 6 feet above a layer of rock hence drainage is a problem.   This season has looked very good but it has been relatively dry until now.  If Celtic and all their resources in an enclosed arena cannot get their pitch ready what chance have we got.

I've seen it all now - Schitz eloquently discussing the soil strata beneath Scotstoun and how it influences drainage, and even using the word 'hence'!

I almost prefer the father Jack version!

Almost....

How much slack is there in the Pro12 fixture list? I assume more than AP as you started season earlier - but having already had an ECC match postponed this is perhaps the last thing glasgow would need.

As expected, the game is off. Maybe they can try tomorrow?