Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Saturday 30th November

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Glasgow Warriors v Leinster
Scotstoun Stadium
Glasgow

Saturday 30th November (St Andrews Day)
KO 19.35

Live on Premier Sport


So it is back to the Pro 14 for last years two finalists after their European jaunts, which delivered a mixed set of results.

Leinster will be pretty happy with their efforts and look to be strolling into the playoffs once again, whilst Glasgow, though not out of it yet, showed their limits at this level once again, being well beaten by Exeter (no shame in that) but after being well in the game for the first 40 mins, feel away really badly. They did a similar thing the previous week against Sale but fortunately had enough in the tank to get them over the line.

So Glasgow still not completely firing yet this year, good in parts, but not in the whole. Leinster on the other hand, despite also losing a host of their top players to Ireland for the WC, have carried all before them and look the team to beat in the league. It looks a tall order for the Warriors on current form, but they are a team that do sometimes bring out the best in us and we did manage to beat them twice last season, something not many sides do.

Both teams will be giving some players a rest, seeing as it is only one week off before Euro hostilities are renewed the following week. For Leinster, this is not a game that they need to win, but they may fancy it in any case, just because they can. In terms of our league position and the need to push on to make the playoffs and just to regain our form, it is far more important.

I think we may see a Glasgow side something along these lines:

1. Allen
2. Turner
3. Rae
4. Gray J
5. Cummings
6. Harley
7. Gordon
8. Wilson
9. Price
10. Horne P
11. Niko
12. McDowell
13. Jones H
14. Steyn
15. Bryce

Subs:

Seuili
Stewart (if Fit)/Mathews
Nicol
McDonald
Flockhart
Dobie
Jackson
Nairn

Is that Huw Jones' only contribution to this half?

Should Glasgow look be looking at nakawara?

Glasgow need someone to build a pack around and he’s the man. Jonny Gray, once tipped for a lions spot over AWJ just doesn’t give Glasgow any go forward.

Leinster 3rds really not frightened of this Glasgow pack

I am usually a defender of Horne but tonight he is really having a mare. Rennie - show your toughness. Get him off

RDW wrote:Is that Huw Jones' only contribution to this half?

He fell off the tackle on his man, forcing Seymour to come in off the wing leaving Kelleher unmarked for the first try. For the second try he was defending too narrow at the start of the move and never got across, again , meaning Kelleher was the man over.
His body language at the conversion told a story: all the Glasgow team were inside the posts and he was outside alone, head down and silent.
The Ladyboys defence is putting real pressure on Furra Linee and when it goes to Johnson or Jackson they look to be on their heels or caught trying to decide what to do rather thanclear about what they are doing before the ball arrives.
It'll be very interesting to see who comes out after the break.

tigertattie wrote:Should Glasgow look be looking at nakawara?

Glasgow need someone to build a pack around and he’s the man. Jonny Gray, once tipped for a lions spot over AWJ just doesn’t give Glasgow any go forward.

Leinster 3rds really not frightened of this Glasgow pack

Ah here. Thirds? Bent, Tracey, Dooley, Toner, Molony, Gibson Park, Ross Byrne are experienced regulars for the team in the Championship. The bench looks a lot more callow with only McFadden at 23 the experienced player.

RDW wrote:Is that Huw Jones' only contribution to this half?

He milked it nicely for the yellow.....

Sam Johnson is playing well, but he's not getting much from Horne inside him. Harley is also putting in a shift as always.

Plenty to play for. Glasgow should still win.

Furra is struggling, his kicking is way below his usual standard and he looks rather gaunt, as if he has lost a bit of weight rather quickly.
Jacko to 10 Steyn on.

And a third Byrne joins the fray.

Why oh why oh why do teams try and do quick 22s.

RDW wrote:Why oh why oh why do teams try and do quick 22s.

I think I recall one being effective in 1993....

jimbopip wrote:Furra is struggling, his kicking is way below his usual standard and he looks rather gaunt, as if he has lost a bit of weight rather quickly.
Jacko to 10 Steyn on.

Agreed. Horne's kicking has been dreadful. Pretty sure Jackson can at least take the kicks.

Nice from Wilson. He needs to do much more of that.

Who is the co commontator with Mossy?

Excellent disruption, Doris.

Cant wait to see what the best forwards coach in the world will bring to Glasgow...

RDW wrote:Who is the co commontator with Mossy?

Mike McCarthy - former Connacht, Leinster and Ireland player.

Poor game management Glasgow. You can have Pyrgos back....

Need to get this kick.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Poor game management Glasgow. You can have Pyrgos back....

Someone needs to hook Horne very quickly. He's working very hard to undo a lot of the good things glasgow have done this game.

Feck me it looks baltic in Glasgow

This is largely the same Leinster squad that just about nicked a win in the lowest scoring game in the PRO14 a month ago against Zebre - 3-0.

Quite a contrast.   The O’Brien’s in midfield today is the main difference instead of O’Loughlin and Tomane.

Aye, Im glad Im far south watching this!

I'm not sure I want to watch the next 15 minutes; I can't see anything changing. The only replacement DR has made is Stafford for SJ and that is more to save SJ for next week rather than an attempt to change the shape of this game. It looks as if the Ladyboys have a stranglehold on the game and there's nothing being done to break it.

And the fourth Byrne joins the fray.

Agreed Jimbo. Glasgow have been bossed. Still, never a penalty there. Ashe unlucky.

Glasgow really need a decent back up to Hastings. Horne, Jackson and Thomson are all guff.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Agreed Jimbo. Glasgow have been bossed. Still, never a penalty there. Ashe unlucky.

Definite penalty!

RDW wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Agreed Jimbo. Glasgow have been bossed. Still, never a penalty there. Ashe unlucky.

Definite penalty!

The scrum half ran straight into him and pushed him back into the ruck. 9 bought the penalty.

Niko comes out of this with credit. Still, the Leinster defence is ridiculously well organised.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Agreed Jimbo. Glasgow have been bossed. Still, never a penalty there. Ashe unlucky.

Definite penalty!

The scrum half ran straight into him and pushed him back into the ruck. 9 bought the penalty.

He was still caught on the wrong side - the ref would always give a penalty

Unlucky. But great block by McFadden.

Jeez - was sure Glasgow scored there.

RDW wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

RDW wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Agreed Jimbo. Glasgow have been bossed. Still, never a penalty there. Ashe unlucky.

Definite penalty!

The scrum half ran straight into him and pushed him back into the ruck. 9 bought the penalty.

He was still caught on the wrong side - the ref would always give a penalty

Well I'm with the commentators on this one. He was making a legitimate effort to move and the 9 deliberately ran into him. Players have to be given a chance to move, and the 9 could easily have played the ball.

Leinster defence is remarkable from 1 to 15.

There's just a lack on venom in Jonny Gray's ball carrying.

Great win for Leinster. Glasgow just now at the races, and Pete Horne needs to practice goal kicking if he wants to do it professionally.

Great defence by Leinster.    Some brilliant tackles.   32 phases resisted.

Superb win.

Hard cheese, Glasgow. Enjoyable match.

Niko and TS both looked good. Jacko had a very good match. SueEllen caught the eye. Stafford and Seaman both put their hands up for next week. Nicol seemed to have an appetite for the fray.
Not A Pony was probably the big loser tonight.
Fozzie worked like a Trojan but is probably not the 7 we need. The starting back row was probably less than the sum of it's parts.

Tonight probably, almost certainly, means we won't win the conference so it's an extra play off game and an away semi. Just as well I haven't booked a trip to Cardiff for the final.

Did I say Not A Pony was probably the BIG loser tonight?

No complaints with that result!

Pot Hale wrote:Great defence by Leinster.    Some brilliant tackles.   32 phases resisted.

Superb win.

Hard cheese, Glasgow.    Enjoyable match.

Mr Hale, you make me ashamed at my one eyed summation of the game. The Ladyboys are reminiscent of Don Revie's Leeds of the 1970's; lots of talented individuals with a great collective spirit and they know just what to do to win. Please do not read any snidieness into that. I genuinely mean that as a compliment; as a young teenager I loved watching Bremner and Giles set about opposing teams and dismantling them. Your boys deserved the win.

jimbopip wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Great defence by Leinster.    Some brilliant tackles.   32 phases resisted.

Superb win.

Hard cheese, Glasgow.    Enjoyable match.

Mr Hale, you make me ashamed at my one eyed summation of the game. The Ladyboys are reminiscent of Don Revie's Leeds of the 1970's; lots of talented individuals with a great collective spirit and they know just what to do to win. Please do not read any snidieness into that. I genuinely mean that as a compliment; as a young teenager I loved watching Bremner and Giles set about opposing teams and dismantling them. Your boys deserved the win.

Lovely comment, Jimbo. Still enjoy watching Glasgow any chance I get. The final earlier this year was a tight contest and had a lot of fun whilst visiting.

Cheers - best of luck for the season.

Lots of unhappy Glasgow fans on social media again, but to be fair at least this time they have a point!

We well done Leinster, that was very impressive. Two well taken tries and some defensive effort in the last 5 mins to deny us even a BP.

For Glasgow fans, another very disappointing evening and in truth we are not even surprised about it, we are not even going into these games thinking we are going to win at the moment.

Again we had a decent start but switched off for 20 mins and let the game run away from us, it seems to be a feature of our play just now, we can't put in an 80 minute performance however hard we try.

I am unfortunately coming to the conclusion that Glasgow need some serious rebuilding now and that the lack for recruitment planning is coming back to bit us badly. We have known forever that Pete Horne is no FH and yet he demonstrated it again tonight with a completely aimless performance. Other great club stalwarts. like Swinson and Fusaro really seem to be running on fumes as well.

We just seem to have lost our way this year, whether the Rennie factor is part of the cause of that it is hard to say but he is not getting the performances out of the team in the way he has over the past two seasons.

RDW wrote:Lots of unhappy Glasgow fans on social media again, but to be fair at least this time they have a point!

I don't think it is the loss to Leinster that is the issue, never any shame in that, more the fact that what is essentially the same team as last season, that pretty much swept all before it, is playing so poorly week in week out.

It is not just because Hoggy has gone either as he hardly played last year and was not desperately effective when he did either.

It is hard to fathom!