Glasgow Warriors vs Ulster, Friday 5th April

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Eary bird and all that...

What: Glasgow vs Ulster
Where: Scotstoun Stadium
When: Friday night, 19:35 KO

With both teams suffering huge disappointment in Europe this weekend Friday night may very well be make or break time for both teams. With three games left this season, in playoff watch, the runners and riders are.
Conference A
Glasgow 66
Munster 63
Connacht 52
Cardiff 52
Ospreys 44

Conference B
Leinster 72
Ulster 54
Treviso 50
Edinburgh 47
Scarlets 45

Eyes will also be on other games as elsewhere Munster vs Cardiff at the same time as this one plus Edinburgh vs Scarlets on Saturday night.

no try, that was short then he lost it

If Glasgow could stop them scoring one more try that would be super...

That’s a try. There’s contact till it touches white surely. What an effort!

In real-time, you don’t question it.

It is just not your night Ulster, that run deserved a try

The hand off too when he looked like he didn’t have the gas. Unlucky Lyttle.

clivemcl wrote:In real-time, you don’t question it.

Unfortunately it looked as if he knew he had spilled it, not a poker player

I thought he was just (understandably) busted!

The Ulster set piece has killed them tonight, that did not look likely after the first maul try

The American might be a bad rugby player, but he sure is big.

Eejit wrote:The American might be a bad rugby player, but he sure is big.

We probably have not seen enough of him to know if he is good or bad, he has made a couple of decent carries tonight though and yes he is most definitely big!

Johnny Gray MoM, he has put in a very good shift, but lots of candidates

RDW wrote:If Glasgow could stop them scoring one more try that would be super...

You're welcome. That's us even for the Champion's Cup quarter finals.

A really good win, we needed to turn up tonight and we did

That may be the best we have played all season, maybe the first time we have not switched off at some point in a game. To nil them in the second half with that win was impressive.

Well played Ulster, but I think the game last week emptied your tank unfortunately. You will come again.

What did Hogg do? People seem upset at something he did.

Was he calling somebody fat? What was the round belly action he was doing after the handbags and who was it intended for?

Vipond's been on the pints. "Downtown" Fraser Brown.

Well, that was nice.

A lot of things that have been missing all season (not just at Allianz) were there tonight; aggressive defence, clinical work at the set piece, patience in the backs and an ability to take chances.

The real result though is that we're 3points ahead of Munster with two games to go. Munster put out a strong side tonight so will probably rest a few next week, which could be a mistake. However, the Ladyboys are putting out a second string side this weekend so could well be at full strength against us. Mind you, Munster will be against a side who could be playing to make their first ever play-off while Munster are already in the play offs and have a big European semi to prepare for. I think Munster could lose this one.


Similar to Munster, the Ladyboys won't really have anything to gain by beating us but won't want to lose key players to injury: whereas a win could guarantee a home semi for us. We should be looking to win there.


If results go our way then we are 7 points ahead going into the last weekend, saving Jamie Bhatti the worry of having to beat his future employers and deny them a play off place.

Maybe Big Dave has been to nice and indulgent to the players this season, it seemed when he finally dished out the bollockings and laid down the law, they woke up and played a full 80 mins in attack and defence.

It must be very frustrating being a coach and asking yourself why they can't do it week in week out?

I guess it is a long season and the players are going to ebb and flow a bit. Our players just do it a bit to much for comfort though!

Nice to be playing well at the business end this year though. I went down to watch the game down in Llanelli last year at this time and we were abject. At least this year we look like we might go down fighting

Well done to Glasgow, they totally outplayed Ulster.
The foundation was built by destroying Ulster at the scrum and lineout.
Hastings, Hogg and Horne (when he came on) executed their game plan perfectly in the strong wind. Kebble is a liability though.

Just wondering have World Rugby secretly changed the offside, forward pass, knock-on, closing the gap and not straight at the lineout laws?

BigGee wrote:Maybe Big Dave has been to nice and indulgent to the players this season, it seemed when he finally dished out the bollockings and laid down the law, they woke up and played a full 80 mins in attack and defence.

It must be very frustrating being a coach and asking yourself why they can't do it week in week out?

I guess it is a long season and the players are going to ebb and flow a bit. Our players just do it a bit to much for comfort though!

Nice to be playing well at the business end this year though. I went down to watch the game down in Llanelli last year at this time and we were abject. At least this year we look like we might go down fighting

I think you may well be right BigGee, that was probably the best performance of the season - focused for 80 mins and aggressive in defence, allied to a more patient approach in attack - there must have been some very stern words over the course of the last week.

I guess with Ulster, it was always going to be difficult after the huge effort last week - Glasgow didn't really fire a shot, whereas Ulster should have progressed really. From a mental standpoint, it's much easier to provoke a team into a performance after a poor game, and i'm glad the Glasgow team stood up to be counted.

Also, fantastic to see Jonny Gray back on form, he was very good yesterday - making an impact with and without the ball. Hopefully he can push on towards the end of the season and produce those performances more regularly - we all know he has it in him.

So how much of the real deal is Steyn?

RDW wrote:So how much of the real deal is Steyn?

He has been really impressive, just slotted into the team and the style Glasgow play like a duck to water. Surely he is a bolter heading towards the larger WC squad if he carries on playing like that.

The question for Glasgow will be what to do once Shuggy is back and he can't be far away, he was warming up with the team last night. Luckily with DTH injured, there is a opening on the wing as well, so Steyn might move one place out. His versatility is going to be an asset as well. Jones is going to have to start playing well though, or he might struggle to get a look in, for club or country.

The centre situation has suddenly got fascinating, with the sudden arrival of Steyn and Hutchinson on the scene to shake things up a bit. Hard to think that anyone, other than probably Johnson is nailed on at the moment.

A big physical back has been the missing link for Scotland - exciting to see how he develops

It is funny how the coaches see things in players that we don't. I saw him a few times in the sevens squad and he looked solid but not necessarily spectacular. He would not necessarily been the one that I would have seen stepping up and making such an impact in 15s.

I guess that is why I am a nurse and Dave Rennie is a professional rugby coach!

Steyn was really impressive last night - he is strong in contact and runs great lines, put in a nice kick as well, from which I think he won a turnover. Johnson/Steyn and McDowall/Jones....not a bad midfield stable.

I think 13 is definitely his position though, I don't think he looks as comfortable on the wing and i'm not sure if he has the top end pace to play there.

Thought he complimented Sam Johnson very well. Agree with EST, he’s physical, runs good lines and has an eye for the gap but he’s not overly rapid. He may be wasted on the wing.

If the rumours about Steff Evans are true we have the makings of a truly terrifying backline.

Last night was the most dominant forward display that Glasgow have produced in years.

Let’s see if they can repeat the same intensity in the next two games. If they can and provide a proper platform for the backs then I suspect that they will win both remaining games before the playoffs.

If they can’t, then both Leinster and Edinburgh will turn them over.

No point in having a Ferrari and then filling it with two star.