Glasgow Warriors v Cheetahs 16th February

Glasgow Warriors back at home this weekend playing the Cheetahs who are on a three game tour.

Glasgow still likely to be handicapped by Scotland keeping most of their players away with the squad, likely to be needed against England the following weekend. We may get one or two of the walking wounded back from injury, but that would be a bonus and in all likelihood the team is going to be close to what it was down in Newport last weekend, in what was a mixed performance.

Cheetahs have been a mixed bag this season. Very hard to beat at home, where they have had some pretty impressive results, but much less impressive on the road. Hard to see them being to enamoured of a frigid Scotstoun on a Friday night.

Glasgow do need to maintain their cushion at the top of the conference though, having let a couple of points slip last week. We have got harder games than this still to come during the 6N window and our lead could evaporate very quickly with more performances like last weekend. We really do need to top the conference and get the home semi to have the best chance of winning the league again. Going away to Munster or the Cheetahs would be hard games indeed to win.

Cheetahs for their part, are just starting to slip a little bit further behind Munster than they would wish, so it is a very important game for them as well if they want a home quarter final, which is still a possibility for them.

All in all this is a game for both sides with a lot to play for.

It's live on BBC Alba at 19.35.

A few returning from injury :

"Glasgow Warriors

15 Ruaridh Jackson

14 Lee Jones
13 Nick Grigg
12 Sam Johnson
11 Nikola Matawalu

10 Adam Hastings
9 George Horne

1 Alex Allan
2 James Malcolm
3 Siua Halanukonuka
4 Tim Swinson
5 Scott Cummings
6 Robert Harley
7 Chris Fusaro
8 Matt Fagerson

Substitutes

16 Grant Stewart
17 Oli Kebble
18 D'arcy Rae
19 Matt Smith
20 Adam Ashe
21 Henry Pyrgos
22 Brandon Thomson
23 Ratu Tagive

Not available due to injury: Brian Alainu'uese (knee), Fraser Brown (head), Alex Dunbar (thigh), Zander Fagerson (foot), Callum Gibbins (achilles), Rory Hughes (shoulder), Pat MacArthur (shoulder), Leonardo Sarto (shoulder) and George Turner (knee).

Not available due to international commitments: Jamie Bhatti (Scotland), Jonny Gray (Scotland), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Peter Horne (Scotland), Huw Jones (Scotland) Ali Price (Scotland), Finn Russell (Scotland), Tommy Seymour (Scotland) and Ryan Wilson (Scotland)."

Glasgow getting a few heavyweights back just at the right time of the season when we are going to need them. It might be quite helpful for Scotland as well if we pick up any injuries. Still the way the Scotland pack played against France, anyone coming in now is going to have to earn their place.

Good to see the Horne/Hastings axis get some more time out together, this could well be the future for Glasgow and needs to be well tested.

Feeling pretty positive about this one now.

Hopefully Cummings can come through this firing though Swinson would probably get the call if a 2nd row was needed. Should mean a bit more ballast in the back 5.

Johnson at 12 is big for us. He offers a more experienced playmaker beside Hastings than Thomson.

Niko

then

Niko

HT 15-10

Jeez, Cheetahs are some horrible bastards aren't they. Always a bit of niggle. If they have a good rest over summer together with some recruitment they could be a right good team next season.

This game is completely mental.

It's totally surreal now...like being given a glimpse inside Niko's head. Total slapstick one minute sublime skills the next. Horne scores to earn the TBP.

That was some tackle by Nick Grigg.

Got home from work without knowing the score and saw a thoroughly enjoyable game. We pulled away in the end, but it was not an easy win by any means.

We really did see the good, the bad and the ugly of Niko as well! What was he thinking about for that cross field kick in our own 22?

He certainly puts what we sometimes feel about FR trying to force it a bit into perspective!