Champions Cup Pool 3: Northampton Saints v Glasgow Warriors, 17 January

                   
Northampton Saints v Glasgow Warriors 
Sunday 17 January 2016
KO 17:30
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton

Live on BT Sport

Referee Romain Poite (France)
Touch Judge 1 Cyril Lafon (France)
Touch Judge 2 Stephane Boyer (France)
Fourth Official Philippe Bonhoure (France)
TMO Philippe Bonhoure (France)
Assessor Gary Welsh (England)
Citing Commissioner Jeff Mark (Wales)

A. Head to Head

7 Played 7
5 Wins 2
2 Losses 5
0 Draws 0
173 Points 129

B. Tournament Form

Northampton Saints
18/12/15: Saints 9 - 9 Racing 92
12/12/15: Racing 92 33 - 3 Saints
21/11/15: Glasgow 15 - 26 Saints

Glasgow Warriors
9/1/16: Racing 92 34 - 10 Glasgow
19/12/15: Scarlets 6 - 9 Glasgow
12/12/15: Glasgow 43 - 6 Scarlets

C. Teams

Northampton Saints

15 Ben Foden
14 Tom Collins
13 George Pisi
12 Luther Burrell
11 George North
10 JJ Hanrahan
9 Lee Dickson (capt)

1 Alex Waller
2 Dylan Hartley
3 Paul Hill
4 Courtney Lawes
5 Christian Day
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Tom Wood
8 Teimana Harrison

16 Mikey Haywood
17 Ethan Waller
18 Gareth Denman
19 Michael Paterson
20 Jonathan Fisher
21 Tom Kessell
22 Steve Myler
23 Harry Mallinder

Glasgow Warriors

15 Stuart Hogg
14 Lee Jones
13 Alex Dunbar
12 Samuel Johnson
11 Sean Lamont
10 Finn Russell
9 Ali Price

1 Gordon Reid
2 Pat MacArthur
3 Sila Puafisi
4 Leone Nakarawa
5 Jonny Gray (capt)
6 Ryan Wilson
7 Chris Fusaro
8 Adam Ashe

16 Shalva Mamukashvili
17 Alex Allan
18 Zander Fagerson
19 Tim Swinson
20 Simone Favaro
21 Grayson Hart
22 Duncan Weir
23 Taqele Naiyaravoro

Glasgow win on the chick front!

With regards to the rugby, I'm less confident!

The forwards need to improve 10x in comparison to the last match between these two!!!

It wont have escaped Jim Malinder's notice that Glasgow cannot defend a driven lineout. I suspect that will lead to at least a couple of tries for the Saints.
I guess a lot depends on how much Northampton want to qualify for the quarters. Their last game is away at Scarlets who are already out, so a bonus point win against Glasgow would do very nicely.
It could be another messy match from a weegie point of view.

If Fagerson starts, I have faith that the scrum can be won (Northampton have lost Brookes) or at least matched by Glasgow. Naka has not been as influential this year as he gets targeted and would be tempted to play him at 8 with Cummings or Paterson starting in the 2nd row. Give him a bit more space to operate.

I'm not convinced the Racing game is a true reflection on where Fagerson is.  They weren't looking for penalties, just clean ball.  When he's come up against real scrumaging teams he's been shown up.  

He's clearly Glasgow's first choice TH, I just think he's still a bit honest and green.

Hazel Sapling wrote:If Fagerson starts, I have faith that the scrum can be won (Northampton have lost Brookes) or at least matched by Glasgow. Naka has not been as influential this year as he gets targeted and would be tempted to play him at 8 with Cummings or Paterson starting in the 2nd row. Give him a bit more space to operate.

Not only Fagerson has to start but Glasgow need NOT to play Ryan Grant if they want to get stability at the scrum.

They will be facing Waller and Hill, the later predicted to be in the English EPS and with either Hartley or Haywood at hooker they are going to have a hard time







................................I hope

I don't think that Hill is the scrummager Brookes is though. Our scrum hasn't looked as dominant since Brookes has been out.

Scottrf wrote:I don't think that Hill is the scrummager Brookes is though. Our scrum hasn't looked as dominant since Brookes has been out.

Concur with that. Brookes is arguably THE TIGHTHEAD for England IMHO where Hill is borderline England squad due to injuries (Brookes) and incredible loss of form (Wilson). Good player none the less. Just feel Reid vs Hill is a wash, Brown is not a bad hooker and Fagerson would have a good go against Waller whereas Puafisi...the match would have to be played after 9pm.

This thread does not meet my standards.

Hill has the potential to be a far better prop than Kieran 30 minutes Brookes. Seriously mobile for a tight head as well.

Be interesting to see which Saints team appears. In dry conditions they looked like they were going to concede a record number of points against Tigers last weekend. When the rain cane down they were pretty impressive and nearly stole the win.

A big issue for Glasgow is that Poite is reffing and he always favours the scrum moving forwards (rightly or wrongly), and is not afraid to heavily penalise the inferior scrum. Once his mind is made up at the first couple of scrums, it's pretty tricky to convince him otherwise that there could be shenangans in play.

The Glasgow scrum is powderpuff and hugely inexperienced. If the conditions are heavy then I can see Glasgow really struggling to get a foothold in this game. It is also worth noting that Saints channel a fair bit of heavy traffic through the middle and once momentum is with them can be very hard to stop. Having the likes of Wilson providing nothing more than a bit of slap and tickle off the ball will not stop the Northampton juggernaut. Missing Horne, Vernon, Dunbar and Bennett also leaves a rather nasty problem at centre. I wonder whether Sean Lamont will be drafted in to stop the likes of Burrell and Pisi blasting through.

A back row of Harley, Favaro and Strauss would be really handy for this one, as would a fully fit and firing Mike Cusack. I'd also be very tempted to ditch Nakarawa to the bench as well. On a dry, fast running track he is truly world class, but this will more than likely be an arm wrestle and in the tight stuff he can go missing (plus his offloads tend to become a liability). I would suggest a more gritty combination of Jonny Gray and Tim Swinson.

The Racing game has been moved to Rugby Park in case Scotstoun is unplayable. That pitch is a shambles!

Glasgow needs to get out of that Scotstoun sh1th0le going forwards, the pitch is never playable, it doesn't suit the style of rugby Glasgow wants to play, last season it was too small for potential fans and to make things worse it has an athletic track around it.

VinceWLB wrote:Glasgow needs to get out of that Scotstoun sh1th0le going forwards, the pitch is never playable, it doesn't suit the style of rugby Glasgow wants to play, last season it was too small for potential fans and to make things worse it has an athletic track around it.

Hopefully this will now really concentrate minds going forward. Toonie coming out and saying the pitch 'was not fit for purpose' in the media was no accident. He was deliberately trying to get something done about it, either a artificial pitch at Scotstoun or need to move.

On the bright side: Shrek can go to Kilmarnock bus station and meet the Racing players "off the bus".

funnyExiledScot wrote:This thread does not meet my standards.

Apologies.

jimbopip wrote:On the bright side: Shrek can go to Kilmarnock bus station and meet the Racing players "off the bus".

Trust me, there are enough people in Killie happy to do that without anyone having to travel.

Article in the Scotsman about Lee Jones playing at 9. The article hints that the switch could become a permanent one, then back tracks from that pretty quickly.

""I enjoyed it and Gregor [Townsend, Glasgow’s coach] has always said it is an option but I didn’t get on the pitch,” said Jones when quizzed about making the move full time. “It is an option but Glasgow see me as a winger first and foremost.”

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/glasgow-warriors/glasgow-warriors-lee-jones-happy-on-wing-or-at-no-9-1-4001564

Glasgow Warriors team to play Northampton Saints, European Rugby Champions Cup, Franklin’s Gardens, Sunday 17 January (kick-off 5.30pm) - live on BT Sport:

15. Stuart Hogg
14. Lee Jones
13. Alex Dunbar
12. Sam Johnson
11. Sean Lamont
10. Finn Russell
9. Ali Price

1. Gordon Reid
2. Pat MacArthur
3. Sila Puafisi
4. Leone Nakarawa
5. Jonny Gray (Captain)
6. Ryan Wilson
7. Chris Fusaro
8. Adam Ashe

Replacements

16. Shalva Mamukashvili
17. Alex Allan
18. Zander Fagerson
19. Tim Swinson
20. Simone Favaro
21. Grayson Hart
22. Duncan Weir
23. Taqele Naiyaravoro

Northampton Saints
15. Ben Foden; 14. Tom Collins, 13. George Pisi, 12. Luther Burrell, 11. George North; 10. JJ Hanrahan, 9. Lee Dickson; 1. Alex Waller, 2. Dylan Hartley, 3. Paul Hill, 4. Courtney Lawes, 5. Christian Day, 6. Jamie Gibson, 7. Tom Wood, 8. Teimana Harrison
16. Mikey Haywood, 17. Ethan Waller, 18. Gareth Denman, 19. Michael Paterson, 20. Jonathan Fisher, 21. Tom Kessell, 22. Steve Myler, 23. Harry Mallinder

Speaking of Lee Jones there he is replacing BigT. Like for like no?

I honestly can't see us winning this with that team out. We got bossed at the setpiece and breakdown against them last time, now we have an even lighter back row and fragile front row.

Glad to see Dunbar back and meatball on the bench once more.

Is this a case of Toonie accepting that the Euro dream is once again over for this season, or is it just down to injuries?

I don't have much confidence that the Glasgow pack picked will fare any better than the last time the two teams met.

And I have even less confidence that the backline will be able to make a difference!

Great to see Dunbar back though.

LondonTiger wrote:Northampton Saints
15. Ben Foden; 14. Tom Collins, 13. George Pisi, 12. Luther Burrell, 11. George North; 10. JJ Hanrahan, 9. Lee Dickson; 1. Alex Waller, 2. Dylan Hartley, 3. Paul Hill, 4. Courtney Lawes, 5. Christian Day, 6. Jamie Gibson, 7. Tom Wood, 8. Teimana Harrison
16. Mikey Haywood, 17. Ethan Waller, 18. Gareth Denman, 19. Michael Paterson, 20. Jonathan Fisher, 21. Tom Kessell, 22. Steve Myler, 23. Harry Mallinder

Amazing seeing these guys coming through the ranks so quickly

lostinwales wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Northampton Saints
15. Ben Foden; 14. Tom Collins, 13. George Pisi, 12. Luther Burrell, 11. George North; 10. JJ Hanrahan, 9. Lee Dickson; 1. Alex Waller, 2. Dylan Hartley, 3. Paul Hill, 4. Courtney Lawes, 5. Christian Day, 6. Jamie Gibson, 7. Tom Wood, 8. Teimana Harrison
16. Mikey Haywood, 17. Ethan Waller, 18. Gareth Denman, 19. Michael Paterson, 20. Jonathan Fisher, 21. Tom Kessell, 22. Steve Myler, 23. Harry Mallinder

Amazing seeing these guys coming through the ranks so quickly

Farrell, Ford and now Mallinder. Funny how these lads always get jobs when their dads are coaches isn't it!

Lee Jones vs George North. That'll be a clash of the titans!

Another Tombola special.

The front row on the bench looks better suited to standing up to the Saints in the scrum and the starting front row looks more suited to racing around the park when the opposition are tired late on.

I thought Oscar Peterson would have been in after his good performance in Paris but apparently the pack is big enough and heavy enough without him.

Batman-Fozzie-Arthur is a light back row, but it's also very fast and creative. Are we hoping to keep the ball alive and away from their pack?

Great to see Pudding back. Let's hope he sorts Pisi out early on.

Burrell against Johnson should tell us everything we need to know about young Sam's future at the club. No pressure on him there then.

I don't care who knows it but I have been impressed with the Selkirk Pixie since he went on the 7's bandwagon. He has worked really hard at rebuilding his game (and his physique; the club website has him as approx. the same height and weight as Hoggy) and deserves a start. As with Johnson Toonie seems to be saying, "Deal with George North. Show us you're good enough and you have a future here."

Remember what Dylan Thomas said,

"Do not go gently into that good night,
rage, rage against the dying of the light"

Toonie has picked a team that will play fast, expansive rugby and either win well or go down swinging.

Mon the Warriors.

jimbopip wrote:

Batman-Fozzie-Arthur is a light back row, but it's also very fast and creative. Are we hoping to keep the ball alive and away from their pack? rank average, verging on substandard back row who will be eaten alive by a monstrous Saints pack
.

Fixed that for you!

Saints have also picked a very mobile pack, especially the back row where Harrison who is more usually at 7 packs down at the back.

Just beat me to it LT, that is a very mobile pack all round.

Waller and Hill get about a bit with Haywood to increase mobility on 60 minutes if JM does his normal.

Lawes is a vey mobile lock and Day in no slouch so locks are mobile athletic sorts, and with Harrison at 8, Saints will be emulating Australia in the way the use the pack. Dickson feeding little pop passes flat to runners like Harrison, Gibson and Lawes coming in at full speed.

Just noticed Harrison 8. Gibson Wood Harrison is interesting, but he's been doing well at 7.

No Khan on the bench. FFS. Never seen Kessell play.

Seems weird but disappointed to see North back on the wing. He just doesn't get the ball out there.

Big problem is that if Saints instead have Dickson stamping his feet, slapping hi sthighs, whinging to the ref and then popping the pass. He has to move quickly - which he has struggled with the last month or so.

Scottrf wrote:No Khan on the bench. FFS. Never seen Kessell play.

Kahn is injured. Kessell will surprise a few, very good player.

emontagu wrote:

Scottrf wrote:No Khan on the bench. FFS. Never seen Kessell play.

Kahn is injured. Kessell will surprise a few, very good player.

Yeah? You support a team in the Championship? I'm just disappointed in Dickson this season.

I thought Dickson was better against Tigers, got some runners moving and anyway Poite doesn't speak German or Geordie so Dickson whinging won't do him any good anyway

I miss the days when Kahn Fotuali'i played in the Pro12. There is no greater joy than hearing Jonathan Davies call him "Photo Ally".

Nothing compares.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I thought Dickson was better against Tigers, got some runners moving and anyway Poite doesn't speak German or Geordie so Dickson whinging won't do him any good anyway

Apparently the last time Poite reffed Saints, he said something like 'this guy is breaking my balls (in French)' about Dickson.

Scottrf wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I thought Dickson was better against Tigers, got some runners moving and anyway Poite doesn't speak German or Geordie so Dickson whinging won't do him any good anyway

Apparently the last time Poite reffed Saints, he said something like 'this guy is breaking my balls (in French)' about Dickson.

"ce mec est me casser les coquilles", that's what you get for listening to a whining 9 with a sort of semi Geordie accent. Not how I would have said it in my limited French, but what my work mate who comes from Jersey says it translates to. Anyway, he should know by know that scrum halves are always right and if he had listened and acted accordingly, Dickson would have stopped.

Barnsey didn't have too many problems at the weekend and he has little tolerance for mouthy 9's or 2s for that matter, luckily Hartley was injured for the game.

Of course Barnes found other ways: disallowing valid tries for example.

Scottrf wrote:Of course Barnes found other ways: disallowing valid tries for example.

You can't have everything, bl00y good run from Hill though, didn't know he was that quick.

Marler used to be like that until he got close to the England camp

Scottrf wrote:

emontagu wrote:

Scottrf wrote:No Khan on the bench. FFS. Never seen Kessell play.

Kahn is injured. Kessell will surprise a few, very good player.

Yeah? You support a team in the Championship? I'm just disappointed in Dickson this season.

Dicko has been poor this season. Not playing on instinct due to his captaincy. Service has been too slow.

Heard from Pirate acquaintances Kessell's the real deal plus seen him for the wanderers. Great decision making with a nice turn of pace.

Agree about Dickson. A lot of the slow ball Saints are getting starts from the 9s. In the past Dickson was a high energy guy which got the backs moving quickly. Seems to me Lee Dickson and JJ don't mesh very well.

Day will be doing his excellent breakdown work and hopefully everyone else will be running. This pack has a lot of potential, at least until the subs come on.

Ah Doc, I see what you did there.

You're giving me just a glimmer of hope before reality kicks in tomorrow.

jimbopip wrote:Ah Doc, I see what you did there.  

You're giving me just a glimmer of hope before reality kicks in tomorrow.

Sorry, mate..........
Actually I'm simply hoping Saints get into gear. Not the best season so far.

Agreed Doc, but Glasgow have been functioning about 95%. The problem is that our high tempo off-loading game has very little room for error. The difference between being well beaten by Racing and pulling off a morale lifting win was probably three or four dropped passes or line breaks that fizzled out. IF passes stick early on and support runners get onto off loads then we can win comfortably tomorrow but we can just as easily lose by twenty-five points.

If I was a betting man.....I'd keep my money in my pocket.

jimbopip wrote:Agreed Doc, but Glasgow have been functioning about 95%. The problem is that our high tempo off-loading game has very little room for error. The difference between being well beaten by Racing and pulling off a morale lifting win was probably three or four dropped passes or line breaks that fizzled out. IF passes stick early on and support runners get onto off loads then we can win comfortably tomorrow but we can just as easily lose by twenty-five points.

If I was a betting man.....I'd keep my money in my pocket.

The problem is that you could be describing Saints just the same as Glasgow.

Glasgow's biggest problem is going to be the novelty of playing on grass instead of mud, their pitch is shocking.

As I said before, I think Dickson was better against Tigers, I hope he continues to improve tomorrow. Hanrahan should suit the quick flat ball that Dickson can produced. Time will tell but looking ahead, I am looking forward to seeing Kessell, not seen him play before.

Glasgow got to find their form eventually, so this afternoon a good a time as any!

So all we, as Glasgow fans, can hope for is:

No injuries
Not a complete pumping

Um...I think that's about it

I was snowing in Northampton this morning, going to be bitterly cold tonight that will make the Glasgow boys feel at home