Glasgow Warriors V Munster It's a quarter past being a friendly.

Well, we're at the sticky end of the season and the lightweights are all abed by now. Yes Edinburgh Luvvies we are looking at you.
This tie brings Munster to Scotstoun; previous matches at Scotstoun between these two have provided two of my favourite games: Glasgow put 50 odd on Munster on my first visit to the stadium, and the Rob Harley inspired semi which was the single most intense club match I have ever attended. Will Saturday live up to either of those?

First things first; we underestimate Munster at our peril. There are givens in life; rain is wet, beer is good, good blues guitar makes you happy and Munster are an awkward nasty aggressive pain in the erse every single time. The club motto should be POM's greeting of Sam Cane,  "Who do you think you are? You're just a shoite Richie McCaw."

Can you imagine being trapped in a lift with POM and Batman?    

Saturday promises to be a stand up knock down battle from minute one. I wish I was going.

So, Munster will field XV angry red faced fellas with a sense of grievance that goes way back beyond the last ice age. Hopefully some of our Irish posters will give us a slightly more nuanced analysis of their likely line up.

As for Glasgow? Well, I remember driving across to Baarf and being slightly disappointed that I had shelled out a fair few weeks pocket money taking my boys to watch Glasgow reserves get spanked. That was before we realised that the General is a man with a plan. I'll have a stab at naming my side but it'll probably bear no resemblance to the 23 that are named on Friday. The General either rests some players because we may have the URC semi the following week, and the Diddy Cup final the next week,  OR he goes full out because if we lose this we have no semi next week and if that's what we want we could just as well merge with Edinburgh.

Obvious First XV

Bhatti-Turner-Ragnar
Gray-Cummings
Big Shona-Dempsey- Darge
Hornito
Jordan
Seaman
Wee Shona
Shug
Seba
Smith

Rotating XV

McBeth-Matthews-Berghan
Groot-Squaddie
Big Man Jessie-Batman-Mullet
Aldi Price
Forbes
Meatball
Johnson
Stafford
House Elf
Lesser Spotted Miotti

For the Rotation XV I have highlighted the players who could genuinely be upset if they were not in the First XV.  The rest of them could be in the 23.

Only The General knows what it'll be on Saturday, and he's probably had the team sheet in a drawer for five or six weeks now.

It should be a cracking game. Munster could do it. Glasgow are on a great run. I can hear POM in the dressing room before kick off, "Lads! They're unbeaten at home this season....Who the fecc do they think they are?"

Can't wait.

This one concerns me more than going to West Wales, always felt we'd win there.  With Munster we should win but they are a bit of a wild card.  Most games recently they've not been as strong as expected, then they perform well in SA.  Which Munster will show up.  Must show total respect and avoid the cavalier rugby we saw in the 2nd quarter in Llanelli, play as we did in the 2nd half and we should progress.

Trying to end the season playing knockout rugby on two fronts is daunting beyond recogntion for this group of players, it is normally only the preserves of the Leinsters and La Rochelle's of this world.

Can Glasgow retain their focus on this game, knowing that it will lead to an even harder one next weekend and the first of three possible consecutive trips to Dublin in three weekends.

I think he probably has to rotate a bit for this game. Some positions fairly easily, Price for Horne, Fagerson M for Vialanu for instance, but what do we do about TH prop?

So maybe something like this:

McBeth
Mathews
Bergan
Gray R
Cummings
Fagerson M
Darge
Dempsey
Price
Jordan
Cancilliere
Tuipolotu
Jones
Steyn
Smith

Subs

Dell
Brown
Fagerson Z
Du Preez
Bean
Gordon
Horne
Johnson

A bit of cavalry on the bench should they be required!

I see what you are trying to do BG...but I would probably not rotate the entire front row and drop Bhatti entirely. It is Munster after all, lose and there is no next week to come back to. I would rather get 20 ahead and sub early.

Matthews as starter I would not be averse to though. Vailanu making way for M Fagerson would make sense considering Vailanu's workload recently. We need a spare 10 on the bench or POM will "accidentally" injure the starter early doors.

I would be tempted to bring Walker in for Berghan. Berghan has really not impressed the last couple of seasons and this is the type of game for Walker to get involved in considering he may be competing for the RWC squad.

The General always/usually has a 9 & 10 on the bench, Gee. An injury to Jordan would cause us no end of trouble. Which is where we really miss Richie V.

Yes, I think you are both right on the FH situation, I managed to overlook that.

Am not sure he is that sold on Walker though nor that a gentle run out against Munster is the game to re-introduce him in!

On McDowall, what a season he has had. I hope he can play a key part in some of the final matches. Seeing him at CT stadium against Ayrshire bulls last year I was shocked at how big he was and how, up until this season, he hasn’t made more of an influence.

The Smith gameplan really works well for him. He goes about his game much like De Allande does for SA and they’re pretty much like for like in height and weight. He has a lot more to give I would say, exciting seasons ahead for Glasgow fans.

I like McDowall, he had a lot of early promise but it all seemed to come off the rails a bit at the tail end of Rennie's tenure and Wilson didn't seem keen.

Post-world cup he could be a really useful player for Scotland in the same way Dunbar was.

Munster are apparently planning to rest all their first teasers to prepare them for the semi-final against one of the big teams, according to their spokesperson.

Make sense to me.

Pot Hale wrote:Munster are apparently planning to rest all their first teasers to prepare them for the semi-final against one of the big teams, according to their spokesperson.

Make sense to me.

Says it all!

demosthenes wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Munster are apparently planning to rest all their first teasers to prepare them for the semi-final against one of the big teams, according to their spokesperson.

Make sense to me.

Says it all!

It certainly does. Lol

Snyman and Beirne are likely to be amongst the other academy/third rank players for the weekend. Keith Earls is out with injury and may have already played his last game for Munster as his IRFU contract only runs until end of RWC.

Should be easy enough for Glasgow.

Pot Hale No you don't fella. we're the underdogs here. Easy win for Munster. 29 points easily. We're doomed. Doomed ah say.

Teams should be up soon, here's my wish list;

Bhatti - Matthews-Ragnar McBeth-Turner-Berghan
Richie-Cummings Groot-Squaddie
Matt F-Dempsey-Big Shona Darge
Hornito Aldi Price
Jordan Meatball, I think the Lesser Spotted Miotti is not robust enough for this match
Seba
Wee Shona
Shug
Seaman
Smith.

Team's oot

Glasgow Warriors team to face Munster at Scotstoun, Saturday 6 May, kick-off 7.35pm. Tickets are still available at glasgowwarriors.org.

1 Jamie Bhatti (87)
2 Johnny Matthews (48)
3 Zander Fagerson (126)
4 Scott Cummings (104)
5 Richie Gray (99)
6 Matt Fagerson (93)
7 Rory Darge (30)
8 Jack Dempsey (37)

9 George Horne (97)
10 Tom Jordan (23)
11 Kyle Steyn (C) (63)
12 Stafford McDowall (55)
13 Sione Tuipulotu (34)
14 Sebastian Cancelliere (23)
15 Ollie Smith (31)

Replacements

16 Fraser Brown (139)
17 Nathan McBeth (21)
18 Simon Berghan (31)
19 JP du Preez (23)
20 Lewis Bean (38)
21 Sione Vailanu (18)
22 Ali Price (128)
23 Huw Jones (57)

Unavailable for selection: Facundo Cordero (hamstring), Cole Forbes (hamstring), Jamie Dobie (knee), Sintu Manjezi (knee), Jack Mann (head), Josh McKay (foot), Cameron Neild (calf), Ross Thompson (foot).

No back up 10.
Shug on the bench.
Starting young Darge against POM, with Big Shona to come on with a point to prove.
If anything happens to Jordan
Lord Stafford to 15, Wee Shona to 12 Shug at 13 and Smith to 10?
Or maybe Wee Shona to 10 and Shug at 13?

It's an attacking line up and as long as Jordan stays on his feet then it could be a winning selection.

What is it about Glasgow Warriors twitter that they can't automate releasing the team at 12 noon? Anyway...

Matthews deserves the start and Brown the bench. Turner has not been firing and having a week off is the best thing for him.

The lack of cover at 10 is concerning. I assume McDowall or Price will cover. As for the centres, Tuipulotu plays 12 with Huw and McDowall plays 13 with S Johnson and they swap when together . I felt as a combination, they did not get the most out of Tuipulotu last week and would have rather stuck with one of the aforementioned combos. I am guessing it is hard to drop McDowall after getting two tries

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman; Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony (C), Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Fineen Wycherley, John Hodnett, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Alex Kendellen.

Connor Murray must be nearly as old as me...and I went to school with Herod Of Antioch.
Beirne and Snyman back from injury. I hope it takes them about 78 minutes to get up to speed.

Gonna be a good game! Hope Glasgow can hit the ground running and be accurate. Good Munster side who will be a real pain for Glasgow.

Hmm, no FH replacement, that's a quirky one even by Franco's standards. In some ways a wasted sub in a Glasgow shirt, because he does not ever seem to change the FH anyway but still a bit of a risk in this game.

I see all the Irish pundits are already calling this game for Munster!

I though Glasgow might rotate a bit more than they have, but no and we do seem to be settling down into our best team for the last few games.

It has got the makings of a classic old bruising game this one and very hard to call.

Munster squad planning a few beers tonight to see which of Ulster or Connacht they’ll be playing next week.

Should be a late one. Public warning to residents near Thomond to park their cars indoors tonight. Could be lively.

Glasgow are already all abed, the coaches have doled out warm Horlicks and nembutal to make sure they don't have any nightmares or bedwetting. The night before being thrashed by Munster is always a worrying time.

Is Franco not exceeding the rules on games in a row for a nunber of players? My worry Glasgow will run out of steam shortly just when it matters!

Only time will tell if his decision to go near fully loaded on a meaningless Connacht game was the right one.

RDW wrote:Is Franco not exceeding the rules on games in a row for a nunber of players? My worry Glasgow will run out of steam shortly just when it matters!

Only time will tell if his decision to go near fully loaded on a meaningless Connacht game was the right one.

I don't think any of these rules are tablets of stone and you can't not play your best players in these games.

Fact is, due the rotation as the season has gone on, most of the Glasgow players have not been overplayed during season and players like Cummings, Darge, Jones and ZF have also had significant time off recovering from injury.

So far, you have got to say Franco appears to know what he is doing!

jimbopip wrote:Team's oot

Glasgow Warriors team to face Munster at Scotstoun, Saturday 6 May, kick-off 7.35pm. Tickets are still available at glasgowwarriors.org.

1 Jamie Bhatti (87)
2 Johnny Matthews (48)
3 Zander Fagerson (126)
4 Scott Cummings (104)
5 Richie Gray (99)
6 Matt Fagerson (93)
7 Rory Darge (30)
8 Jack Dempsey (37)

9 George Horne (97)
10 Tom Jordan (23)
11 Kyle Steyn (C) (63)
12 Stafford McDowall (55)
13 Sione Tuipulotu (34)
14 Sebastian Cancelliere (23)
15 Ollie Smith (31)

Replacements

16 Fraser Brown (139)
17 Nathan McBeth (21)
18 Simon Berghan (31)
19 JP du Preez (23)
20 Lewis Bean (38)
21 Sione Vailanu (18)
22 Ali Price (128)
23 Huw Jones (57)

Unavailable for selection: Facundo Cordero (hamstring), Cole Forbes (hamstring), Jamie Dobie (knee), Sintu Manjezi (knee), Jack Mann (head), Josh McKay (foot), Cameron Neild (calf), Ross Thompson (foot).

No back up 10.
Shug on the bench.
Starting young Darge against POM, with Big Shona to come on with a point to prove.
If anything happens to Jordan  
Lord Stafford to 15, Wee Shona to 12 Shug at 13 and Smith to 10?
Or maybe Wee Shona to 10 and Shug at 13?

It's an attacking line up and as long as Jordan stays on his feet then it could be a winning selection.

The General spoke thus in today's Times;
Huw Jones, the Scotland star, is also a replacement, Stafford McDowall having retained his place in the centres on the back of a brilliant two-try showing against Scarlets. The 25-year-old, who is enjoying a campaign of personal renaissance, is also Glasgow’s back-up plan should misfortune befall the starting fly half, Tom Jordan. Smith said: “From the first day, I said Stafford has the ability to play there. Through the season we’ve often looked to use him there. He’s played as a fly half since he was 18-19.

Stafford hasn’t put a foot wrong. He scored two tries last weekend, he’s accurate, he’s been accurate the whole season.

Great to see that even this late in the season we still can't predict what is going to happen.

Best of luck tonight Warriors.

Still laughing about ROG referring to Kellock as "the penknife"...because he folds like one when tackled!

...as if ROG knew how to tackle....

This is always how I envisioned the Munster pack, big and powerful. Not sure about not having a genuine open-side but POM at 7 has worked for Munster many times.

Does Gavin Coombes have a Welsh parent ?

POM heading off, that's a massive blow for Munster

Penalty under the post for Glasgow

They go for the corner again though!

Another penalty for Glasgow and a warning

Goodness, Glasgow doing everything but scoring!

Munster defence is extraordinary!

Well somehow, massively against the run of play. Munster score

7-0 Munster

This will be a red.

This is a card, just what colour?

It i8s a RC for Jordan, who has also done his hammy, which probably contributed to the way he tackled

Hard to argue with it

Feels like it's unravelling a bit here for Glasgow, after such a bright start.

Munster then score again, this game is slipping away from Glasgow

It's a long way back now with 14 men

Just tuned in for the red card. Hard to see how Glasgow can win this one now. Hope they keep it tight but Munster in dreamland

If I was a neutral I would say this is a cracking contest.
At the moment it feels rather like seeing your girlfriend walking arm and with your best friend and trying to find solace in saying, " But they make a lovely couple. "

Well a bit of grit in defence from Glasgow just about gives us some hope.

It is a long long way back though and Franco is going to need to do his best HT talk ever to salvage this one.

That was stellar defence to keep it 0 - 14

Munster can’t buy luck.
Snyman off again.
POM off and Murray failed HIA.
Healy sitting on bench as SuperSpy. Which team is he going to?

Horne needs to work on those box kicks!

Bloody hell. Another Munster HIA.

Pot Hale wrote:Munster can’t buy luck.
Snyman off again.
POM off and Murray failed HIA.  
Healy sitting on bench as SuperSpy.  Which team is he going to?  

What happened to Snyman?

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Munster can’t buy luck.
Snyman off again.
POM off and Murray failed HIA.  
Healy sitting on bench as SuperSpy.  Which team is he going to?  

What happened to Snyman?

Someone sneezed.

I think.

Jez, another bad injury to a Munster player

If they win this game they will struggle to get a team out next week, none of these players will be back next week

And another HIA for Nash.

BigGee wrote:Jez, another bad injury to a Munster player

If they win this game they will struggle to get a team out next week, none of these players will be back next week

Agreed. Not looking good for them.

Finally we get outside the Munster defence and Steyn scores in the corner

14-5 Munster

Scannell looks exhausted and in pain.