ERCC Pool 3: Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Rugby, 21 October

            
Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Rugby
Saturday 21 October 2017
KO 19:45
Chateau Soapdodger, Glasgow

BT Sport / beIN Sports

Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Assistant Referees: {tbc}
Citing Commissioner: {tbc}
TMO: {tbc}

A. Head to Head

6 Played 6
1 Wins 5
5 Losses 1
0 Draws 0
117 Points 201

B. Euro Form

14/10/17 - Chiefs 24 - 15 Glasgow
2/4/17 - Saracens 38 - 13 Glasgow
21/1/17 - Tigers 0 - 43 Glasgow

14/10/17 - Leinster 24 - 17 Montpellier
23/4/17 - ASM Clermont 27 - 22 Leinster
1/4/17 - Leinster 32 - 17 Wasps

C. Teams

Glasgow Warriors 
{tbc}

Leinster Rugby
{tbc}

The old cliché of 'the must win game' for Glasgow. Though not strictly true it would be very hard to imagine us winning away in both Montpellier and Dublin, so you would have to say we need to win this to progress.

In that though, nothing much has changed, as this was a game we were always going to have to win and it is undoubtedly winnable, Leinster as a side don't seem to have fired on all cylinders yet either and have also got their injury issues.

I would expect a few gentle changes to the side for this weekend. It has been strongly hinted that Hoggy will be back and it would not surprise me to see Sarto playing as well, he was the unlucky one to miss out last time. Niko's mistake may have played him off the bench though. The centre combos did not quite seem right either and Grigg did not have his best day ball in hand, maybe Johnson starts this time at 13.

Up front you would imagine Brown is out, so Turner will start and McArthur to bench. Otherwise, baring injuries, I don't see to many changes, maybe Fagerson to bench for a bit of x factor laster on in the game.

I was wondering if we'll see Big Brian replace Swinson for extra grunt in the pack - Swinson has played most games this season too so it would freshen things up a bit.

Hogg is due to return

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41656077

If the weather holds up this will be a cracker. There is a lot on the line here!

LeinsterFan4life wrote:If the weather holds up this will be a cracker. There is a lot on the line here!

There is indeed. How many of your walking wounded are we likely to see back for this one?

BigGee wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:If the weather holds up this will be a cracker. There is a lot on the line here!

There is indeed. How many of your walking wounded are we likely to see back for this one?

There are reports of SOB, Sexton, Isa and Fardy being available for this weekend. Hopefully that's true, they're badly needed

For a moment I thought Facundo Isa had signed for you!

What sort of team are Leinster expected to put out? Is Isa in the starting 15?

Hazel Sapling wrote:For a moment I thought Facundo Isa had signed for you!

What sort of team are Leinster expected to put out? Is Isa in the starting 15?

He has been starting at 12 this season and has been very good there but has spent most of this season injured.

With everyone available I'd like to see:
1. McGrath
2. Cronin
3. Furlong
4. Toner
5. Fardy
6. SOB
7. Van De Flier
8. Conan
9. McGrath
10. Sexton
11. Daly
12. Nacewa
13. Henshaw
14. Byrne
15. Carbery

That pack is scary. The back row in particular. The backs are good but I would back Glasgow to have an advantage there.

What happened to the young 12 (Reid?)? Has he not kicked on?

Reid is 27. He's just not great.

Reid is liability in defense.

Leinster have some serious talent right now though, there is a real youthfulness about their team.

I’m liking O’Loughlin in midfield more than Reid.

Looks like the weather may well have a say in this game, rain and wind forecast all afternoon in Glasgow.

Not the conditions Glasgow would have preferred, but it won't make it easy for either side.

BigGee wrote:Looks like the weather may well have a say in this game, rain and wind forecast all afternoon in Glasgow.

Not the conditions Glasgow would have preferred, but it won't make it easy for either side.

BBC has it dry with light rain starting at 9pm, getting heavier throughout the night.

Being Glasgow though anything could happen and it will probably change several times between now and kickoff!

Apparently this is the Leinster team:

1. Cian Healy
2. Sean Cronin
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Scott Fardy
5. Devin Toner
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Josh Van Der Flier
8. Jack Conan
9. Luke McGrath
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. Barry Daly
12. Noel Reid
13. Robbie Henshaw
14. Fergus McFadden
15. Joey Carbery

16. James Tracy
17. Jack McGrath
18. Michael Bent
19. James Ryan
20. Dan Leavy
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Ross Byrne
23. Adam Byrne

Stewie15 wrote:Apparently this is the Leinster team:

1. Cian Healy
2. Sean Cronin
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Scott Fardy
5. Devin Toner
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Josh Van Der Flier
8. Jack Conan
9. Luke McGrath
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. Barry Daly
12. Noel Reid
13. Robbie Henshaw
14. Fergus McFadden
15. Joey Carbery

16. James Tracy
17. Jack McGrath
18. Michael Bent
19. James Ryan
20. Dan Leavy
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Ross Byrne
23. Adam Byrne

Looks weak!!

To be fair, other than Sexton, Henshaw and perhaps Carbery you couldn't say that the backline was overly deadly, with the wingers not nearly as good as Glasgow's options.

Glasgow are going to have a real examination in the set piece though and (as always) that is likely where the game will be won and lost.

Glasgow team out.

Hoggy back and Sarto in for Jones

Fraser Brown out injured as predicted.

15. Stuart Hogg (100) (31)

14. Tommy Seymour (105) (27)

13. Sam Johnson (30) (9)

12. Peter Horne (122) (20)

11. Leonardo Sarto (12) (8)

10. Finn Russell (69) (20)

9. Ali Price (48) (11)



1. Jamie Bhatti (13) (1)

2. George Turner (6) (1)

3. Zander Fagerson (56) (14)

4. Tim Swinson (104) (26)

5. Jonny Gray (75) (22)

6. Ryan Wilson (C) (133) (32)

7. Callum Gibbins (5) (1)

8. Adam Ashe (45) (7)



Replacements:



16. Pat MacArthur (159) (35)

17. Alex Allan (56) (15)

18. D’Arcy Rae (30) (3)

19. Scott Cummings (23) (2)

20. Rob Harley (167) (34)

21. Henry Pyrgos (132) (28)

22. Nick Grigg (27) (5)

23. Lee Jones (60) (26)



Unavailable players: Brian Alainu’uese (knee), Bobby Beattie (illness), Fraser Brown (knee), Alex Dunbar (knee), Chris Fusaro (head), Rory Hughes (shoulder), Oli Kebble (foot), Paddy Kelly (ankle), Kiran MacDonald (thigh), Ratu Tagive (achilles), Richie Vernon (achilles), Samuela Vunisa (knee).

Stewie15 wrote:Apparently this is the Leinster team:

1. Cian Healy
2. Sean Cronin
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Scott Fardy
5. Devin Toner
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Josh Van Der Flier
8. Jack Conan
9. Luke McGrath
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. Barry Daly
12. Noel Reid
13. Robbie Henshaw
14. Fergus McFadden
15. Joey Carbery

16. James Tracy
17. Jack McGrath
18. Michael Bent
19. James Ryan
20. Dan Leavy
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Ross Byrne
23. Adam Byrne

1 away - Dave Kearney on the bench for Adam Byrne

BigGee wrote:Looks like the weather may well have a say in this game, rain and wind forecast all afternoon in Glasgow.

Not the conditions Glasgow would have preferred, but it won't make it easy for either side.

Glasgow should pray for good weather, they could really go after that Leinster backline

Looks dry for game time so don't know what all the weather schieze is about This is not Galway you know !

Great to see Hoggy back in action. Nice easy return to action to restore his confidence....

Leinster need another centre back from injury. Reid at 12 is worrying. Himself and Carberry are weak links defensively. Not much fear of the wingers. Mcfadden is better than he is given credit for and Daly is allegedly the quickest player in the country.

Interesting to see how Sam Johnston goes at o/s centre. Really good rugby player and vastly underated imho.

He'll have his hands full with Henshaw. Our back three is superb, with Lee Jones waiting to come on too.
We need 5 points though, and an Exeter win. That would make me happy.

Anyone got a link?

Glasgow lucky there, I thought Hogg was off-side

That was never a late hit, would have been pissed if Sexton had milked that.

does anyone have a link they can mail me? much appreciated!

Tramptastic wrote:does anyone have a link they can mail me? much appreciated!

Sent!

Very hard and punishing game here. Great to see Hogg back

Just ignoring high tackles now, Sexton tacked Cummings round the face

Constant high tackles

Ok the weather is not great but there is an astonishing amount of handling errors in this game.

Not a bad game so far, really surprised at how the Glasgow scrum is holding up

And just as I say that we get destroyed

Good signs for Leinster and Ireland that Cian Healy is back to form.

Bad time to lose a try

RDW_Scotland wrote:Bad time to lose a try

It had a certain inevitability about it

Not enough strength up front for Glasgow.

Glasgow once again bring ruthlessly targeted in the maul at this level!

The usual non late hits from Glasgow. Looks like Leinster have decided to adopt Glasgow’s motto - Whatever It Takes - and respond in kind.

A few more handbags in the second half and a card for someone I’m going to guess.

Game over. Leinster have our number

Those Sexton wraparounds are soooo predictable.

And they have on back. This game ain’t over yet.

Impressive try from Glasgow - went through a lot of phases there and gradually worked their way up the pitch.

Game on?

Easy missed tackle from Sexton but excellent commitment to track back, make the tackle and force the knock on.

I swear that Sexton will dislocate his shoulder one day. The way he throws his arms in the air appealing for everything must take its toll one day...

Consistently getting tackled without he ball week in week out takes its toll too.