Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors 7th April 2018

by **BigGee** Wed 4 Apr - 1:49

Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors
Saturday 7th April 2018
KO 16.30
Parc Y Scarlets
Llanelli

Well this could be an exciting one, with quite a lot riding on it and two teams that like to chuck it about a bit. Both teams look to have been in pretty good form of late as well.

Glasgow could wrap up a home semi final place with a win and then spend the last few league games fine tuning themselves for the playoffs.

Scarlets need a win to keep themselves solidly in the hunt for second place in their conference. Third could mean two away games to get to the final, surely a tall order.

It also remains to be seen what last weekends great win in the Euro's has taken out of Scarlets and what they want to hold back for that competition. At this stage of the season, everyone is getting tired and managing the squad and keeping them fresh for the big games is a vital skill. Glasgow have the advantage here in only having to commit to the one competition and they have been able to give their Scottish International players a good rest following the end of the 6N.

I am off down to West Wales to watch this one. My first trip to the Parc and I can't wait!

by 21st Century Schizoid Man Wed 4 Apr - 7:59

Think our ints. may well be back for this one. Something like :-
Hogg
Seymour
DTH
Jones
Dunbar
Russell
Price
Ashe (maybe Wilson)
Gibbins
Harley
Fagerson
Brown
Kebble
reps; Bhatti, Turner, The Nuke,Smith, Swinson, Hastings, Pyrgos, Matawalu

This is a tough place to get anything so we need our A game down there.

by demosthenes Wed 4 Apr - 9:21

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Think our ints. may well be back for this one. Something like :-
Hogg
Seymour
DTH
Jones
Dunbar
Russell
Price
Ashe (maybe Wilson)
Gibbins
Harley
Fagerson
Brown
Kebble
reps; Bhatti, Turner, The Nuke,Smith, Swinson, Hastings, Pyrgos, Matawalu

This is a tough place to get anything so we need our A game down there.

Well, we will not get much out of it with no starting second row!

by jimbopip Wed 4 Apr - 9:57

Aye Schiz, have you gone all Rugby League on us or is your dyscalculia playing up again?

I think a win here could put the Scarlets in a play off rather than a semi which might help us hugely.
So does DR pick his strongest XV? ( that's fifteen Schiz, fifteen).
I think he might start with Johnson at 12 with Dunbar on the bench.
JG and Swinson (if fit) with Naughty Boy on the bench.
I'd love to see Wilson-Ashe-Gibbins start, but I think the World Record holder and his Exploding Triceratops will start with Batman on the bench.
So tempted to drive across. chin

by Hazel Sapling Wed 4 Apr - 11:12

What I would want, not expect

Bhatti - Brown - Fagerson (Kebble - Turner - Nuka)
JG - Cummings (Naughty Boy)
Wilson - Gibbins - Ashe (Smith)

Price-Russell (Matawalu - Horne)
Masaga - Dunbar - Jones - Seymour - Hogg (DTH)

by Hazel Sapling Wed 4 Apr - 11:17

Thinking about the back-row really highlights the quality Edinburgh have in comparison. Really could do with Barclay or Hardie and a top level 8. The weak point of the squad moving forward until the kids grow up.

by 21st Century Schizoid Man Wed 4 Apr - 15:23

demosthenes wrote:
21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Think our ints. may well be back for this one. Something like :-
Hogg
Seymour
DTH
Jones
Dunbar
Russell
Price
Ashe (maybe Wilson)
Gibbins
Harley
Fagerson
Brown
Kebble
reps; Bhatti, Turner, The Nuke,Smith, Swinson, Hastings, Pyrgos, Matawalu

This is a tough place to get anything so we need our A game down there.

Well, we will not get much out of it with no starting second row!

Well I might not be able to count up to 15 but at least I can work the quote button properly !

by 21st Century Schizoid Man Wed 4 Apr - 15:25

BTW Sam Johnson was HIA ed last time out and my 4 and 5 were supposed to be JG and Cummings.

by TJ Wed 4 Apr - 15:28

Hazel - swap you a back row for a scrum half?

by 21st Century Schizoid Man Wed 4 Apr - 15:30

Hazel Sapling wrote:Thinking about the back-row really highlights the quality Edinburgh have in comparison. Really could do with Barclay or Hardie and a top level 8. The weak point of the squad moving forward until the kids grow up.

No thanks Quite like what we have at 6/7/8. Matt Fagerson is going to be very good indeed as is Matt Smith and I think a run for Adam Ashe free of injury should get him to Japan next summer. Gibbins is a cracking player and with Big Boab and Wee Chris bursting to play we are well set.

by Hazel Sapling Wed 4 Apr - 16:47

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:
Hazel Sapling wrote:Thinking about the back-row really highlights the quality Edinburgh have in comparison. Really could do with Barclay or Hardie and a top level 8. The weak point of the squad moving forward until the kids grow up.

No thanks Quite like what we have at 6/7/8. Matt Fagerson is going to be very good indeed as is Matt Smith and I think a run for Adam Ashe free of injury should get him to Japan next summer. Gibbins is a cracking player and with Big Boab and Wee Chris bursting to play we are well set.

Idk Schiz. Fagerson will be good and Smith has the chance to take on Watson. Wynne is forgotten about and he is still only 21. Those are the guys moving forward who will make the core of the match day back-row.

The big difference at the moment are the kids have grown up at Edinburgh. Glasgow are 2-3 years off of that. A solid carrier at 6 or 8 would not go amiss in the meantime a la Waldrom at Exeter.

As for Ashe, I think he is a good player who may never reach his potential. Only managed more than 800 minutes (10 whole games) in the Pro 14 once in the previous 3 season and there is a question over if he will reach it this one (512; https://www.pro14rugby.org/player/?PlayGuid=AA728758)

by ScarletSpiderman Wed 4 Apr - 22:06

I’m dreading this match. Glasgow are flying, and we are not looking as sharp as I’d like. I have a bad feeling it’s going to be a manshamming for us.

by 21st Century Schizoid Man Wed 4 Apr - 22:23

Like it was for us last season at the Parc-y-Scarlets ?

by **RDW** Wed 4 Apr - 22:23

ScarletSpiderman wrote:I’m dreading this match. Glasgow are flying, and we are not looking as sharp as I’d like. I have a bad feeling it’s going to be a manshamming for us.

I'd hate to see you guys when you are looking sharp!

by 21st Century Schizoid Man Fri 6 Apr - 8:23

Teams oot at lunchtime today. Hope DR remembers to pick some locks - unlike me laughing

by ScarletSpiderman Fri 6 Apr - 9:56

The game is being well hyped down here. Show down between the two leading contenders for Gatlands job post RWC. Two running sides etc.

21th man - can I add a request for your side, can you leave DTH out, we don’t need to watch him show us what we’re missing

by jimbopip Fri 6 Apr - 10:27

I think DR has a big decision to make; does he play his best XV (that's fifteen Schiz) and hopefully bag the four points needed for a home semi and then have the luxury of re-introducing players who are short of game time (Naughty Boy, Dunbar, Niko at 9, dare I say Richie V at whatever number he fancies) or does he play the returnees tomorrow and put out our strongest side next week at home to the Craggy Islanders?

I keep having this nightmare that we go from a mindset of, "Four points from four games, job done!" to "We were unlucky to get nothing against Scarlets but we still have three games to go."
To , "Oh well, when those mad Irishmen are fired up like that what can you do? Still we have two games to get a win."

You can see where I'm heading, can't you?

So
1. Bhatti
2. Brown
3. Ragnar The Pretty
4. Wee Jonny
5. Cummings
6. Exploding Triceratops
7. All Man No Mullet
8. Ashe
9. Aldi Price
10. Dancer ( we're going to miss him)
11. DTH
12. Horne
13. Jones
14. Tagive (I'd start Jones but he's going for gold Down Under)
15. Hogg

16. Kebble
17. Turner
18. Nuke
19. Swinson
20. Batman
21 Henners
22. Hastings
23 Layla Massager

The next three matches can see lots of rest and rotation if we get the points here.
Also, if Scarlets lose then there is every chance they will have to travel to Sarf Effrikka for their play off which will be as welcome as Theresa May at a swingers convention given they have a European semi to prepare for. So a win for Glasgow may very well put Scarlets out of the running for the Pro 14 title.

14

by ScarletSpiderman Fri 6 Apr - 10:34

jimbopip wrote:I think DR has a big decision to make; does he play his best XV (that's fifteen Schiz) and hopefully bag the four points needed for a home semi and then have the luxury of re-introducing players who are short of game time (Naughty Boy, Dunbar, Niko at 9, dare I say Richie V at whatever number he fancies) or does he play the returnees tomorrow and put out our strongest side next week at home to the Craggy Islanders?

I keep having this nightmare that we go from a mindset of, "Four points from four games, job done!" to "We were unlucky to get nothing against Scarlets but we still have three games to go."
To , "Oh well, when those mad Irishmen are fired up like that what can you do? Still we have two games to get a win."

You can see where I'm heading, can't you?

So
1. Bhatti
2. Brown
3. Ragnar The Pretty
4. Wee Jonny
5. Cummings
6. Exploding Triceratops
7. All Man No Mullet
8. Ashe
9. Aldi Price
10. Dancer ( we're going to miss him)
11. DTH
12. Horne
13. Jones
14. Tagive (I'd start Jones but he's going for gold Down Under)
15. Hogg

16. Kebble
17. Turner
18. Nuke
19. Swinson
20. Batman
21 Henners
22. Hastings
23 Layla Massager

The next three matches can see lots of rest and rotation if we get the points here.
Also, if Scarlets lose then there is every chance they will have to travel to Sarf Effrikka for their play off which will be as welcome as Theresa May at a swingers convention given they have a European semi to prepare for. So a win for Glasgow may very well put Scarlets out of the running for the Pro 14 title.

14

It makes more sense to go all out in this game. A win here will help Edinburgh out in their race for a home semi-final too.

by Hazel Sapling Fri 6 Apr - 10:58

Got to go for it here. Putting Scarlets away in Wales after the Welsh battering (or largely Scarlets vs Glasgow at the Millennium) will do a world of good Jimbo.

The Scarlets have had a heck of a schedule since the 11th of February (when they lost to Treviso (and they are a decent side)) with Leinster, Ulster, week off, Leinster, week off, Munster and La Rochelle with Glasgow, Edinburgh and Leinster to come.

Only reason I want Dunbar in there from the start here is Scarlets could put out Parkes-Williams against us and they destroyed Jones before. He is unlikely to fail as badly.

by **BigGee** Fri 6 Apr - 11:01

I can't see anything other than Glasgow putting out their strongest available side, why would they not. The internationals have all had a rest and we have plenty of down weekends between now and the end of the season as well as opportunities to rotate players. Our injury list is good now and we have lots of players fighting for selection. Anyone who wants to be in the playoff teams is gong to have to be playing very well from now on in!

by **BigGee** Fri 6 Apr - 11:57

Glasgow team up. Not to shabby!

15. Stuart Hogg (103)

14. Tommy Seymour (111)

13. Nick Grigg (38)

12. Sam Johnson (37)

11. DTH van der Merwe (97)

10. Finn Russell (76)

9. Ali Price (54)

1. Jamie Bhatti (23)

2. George Turner (15)

3. Zander Fagerson (64)

4. Tim Swinson (108)

5. Jonny Gray (83)

6. Rob Harley (179)

7. Callum Gibbins (10)

8. Ryan Wilson (137) CAPTAIN

Replacements

16. Grant Stewart (5)

17. Oli Kebble (8)

18. Siua Halanukonuka (12)

19. Scott Cummings (34)

20. Chris Fusaro (138)

21. Henry Pyrgos (142)

22. Peter Horne (134)

23. Lelia Masaga (6)

Players unavailable: Adam Ashe (ankle), Fraser Brown (ankle), Ryan Grant (back), Paddy Kelly (ankle), Pat MacArthur, Leo Sarto (shoulder), Brandon Thomson (knee), Richie Vernon (ankle) and Lewis Wynne (hip).

by ScarletSpiderman Fri 6 Apr - 12:04

Scarlets
15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. Ioan Nicholas
13. Scott Williams
12. Hadleigh Parkes
11. Steff Evans
10. Rhys Patchell
9. Gareth Davies
1. Rob Evans
2. Ken Owens (capt)
3. Samson Lee
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. Steve Cummins
6. Aaron Shingler
7. James Davies
8. John Barclay
Replacements
16. Ryan Elias
17. Dylan Evans
18. Werner Kruger
19. Lewis Rawlins
20. Will Boyde
21. Aled Davies
22. Dan Jones
23. Steff Hughes

by ScarletSpiderman Fri 6 Apr - 12:06

Well that is two teams that are pretty much as full force as they can be. This should be an interesting one. (still can't see past Galsgwo winning by 14+)

by **RDW** Fri 6 Apr - 12:11

Interesting that Dunbar isn't listed as injured but also isn't picked.

by **BigGee** Fri 6 Apr - 12:11

Both sides going pretty much full strength. That's the way it should be. This game should be a belter!

by ScarletSpiderman Fri 6 Apr - 12:14

BigGee wrote:Both sides going pretty much full strength. That's the way it should be. This game should be a belter!

If the weather fixes itself out. It’s raining now, and forecast to come down tomorrow evening too.

by Hazel Sapling Fri 6 Apr - 12:25

Ashe, Brown and Vernon all with ankle injuries. Is that from training?

Showing a lot of faith in Johnson-Grigg

by **BigGee** Fri 6 Apr - 12:35

Hazel Sapling wrote:

Showing a lot of faith in Johnson-Grigg

Hard to say they have not justified it. Johnson is probably our first choice 12 now and Jones did look a bit jaded towards the end of the 6N, he has had a longer season than the others so far, so may benefit from a longer rest now. Hopefully he will come back into competition in a few games time.

by **NeilyBroon** Fri 6 Apr - 13:12

Good team but seems a touch harsh on Hastings - I feel like he justifies a bench spot at least after some decent performances recently.

I guess having Horne there gives more flexibility so I can see why he's been picked though.

I can see Glasgow squeaking past on this one. Strong run in to the finals - after the travesty of the Euro champions cup Glasgow should be going for silverware all the way now.

by **RDW** Sat 7 Apr - 16:48

That was two really bad misses from Russell - Scarlets making them pay.

by Pot Hale Sat 7 Apr - 18:27

Bit of a damp squib match in the end. With Glasgow already qualified, nothing to incentivize them for remaining matches, it seems.

by TJ Sat 7 Apr - 18:33

BigGee wrote:Both sides going pretty much full strength. That's the way it should be. This game should be a belter!

It wasn't. Scarlets OK, Glasgow poor

by **RDW** Sat 7 Apr - 18:35

I really hope Scarlets rest their entire squad against Edinburgh next week.

by **George Carlin** Sun 8 Apr - 6:23

Well done Scarlets. I didn't watch the game but nobody here seems all that excited about it.

Looks like our first team starters were extremely rusty and made all kinds of mistakes.

Rennie was p!ssed judging by his post-match comments.

Beating the paddies next week means that we should still slide into a home semi final.

by ScarletSpiderman Sun 8 Apr - 8:44

It played out like a derby game. Very scrappy, and pretty physical (a few bits of off the ball stuff, from both sides). Finn Russell, and Hogg both did their best Rhys Priestland impressions, making mistakes and then seeming to let it get on top of them. And DTH coukdvevhad a couple of tries, if he caught the ball. As a Scarlets fan I think we got lucky to catch Glasgow on an uncharacteristic off day, and don’t think we will see Glasgow play like that again this season.

by **RiscaGame** Sun 8 Apr - 10:47

A brilliant result for Scarlets. I did think they would come unstuck after their efforts last week, but they didn’t. Doesn’t sound like a classic, but there we go. We ended up watching Ebbw v Merthyr in our rugby club, which wasn’t great either.

by Hazel Sapling Sun 8 Apr - 13:15

The only players who can leave this game with their heads held high are DTH, Johnson, Seymour and Grigg. Only DTH was any good but the others did what they could when they got the chance.

Hogg's second game in the Pro 14 was a failure and maybe it is the set-up failing to bring him in. Jackson has been highly successful in the role and his strengths are significantly different to Hogg's. Price and Russell were poor with Price conceding 2 tries (failed 1 on 1 tackle; easy intercept pass). Our scrum got mullered and questions have to be asked about the need for a bigger 2 and 4. Cummings and Peterson offer more size in the 2nd row. Grant Stewart tries hard but looked small in comparison to his opponents. The kicking was atrocious. Changes are needed for the Connacht game in the gameplan more than the players.

Scarlets were not at the races yesterday. They played poorly and their defense/set piece bailed them out. Davies read Price for 1 try and Patchell got an easy 1st try that handed Scarlets the game. They won when playing poorly (the best compliment that can be given) and, after this weekend, are guaranteed a home playoff game (probably be visiting Scotstoun in the semi).

by **George Carlin** Sun 8 Apr - 14:32

Thanks Hazel. I thought that Big Brian was back playing club rugby?

Sounds like we need him.

by Guest Sun 8 Apr - 18:45

Not sure if anyone noticed this at the time or has seen the link, but Gareth Davies and Ali Price recreated the intercept try from the 6 Nations in almost identical fashion yesterday! Spooky!

https://rugbyonslaught.com/chilling-ali-pryce-gareth-davies-recreate-identical-intercept-try-six-nations/

by **BigGee** Sun 8 Apr - 19:45

Well I thoroughly enjoyed my first trip to the Parc Y Scarlets but unfortunately Glasgow did not play well.

Well done Scarlets on backing up from last weekend, you look a very good team still who will be competitive in both competitions. Next week will tell us if this was just a blip for Glasgow or whether we have shot our bolt. Hopefully it is the former!

Good to see a lot of Glasgow fans down in Wales for the game and they all looked like they were enjoying themselves.

by ScarletSpiderman Sun 8 Apr - 20:54

BigGee wrote:Well I thoroughly enjoyed my first trip to the Parc Y Scarlets but unfortunately Glasgow did not play well.

Well done Scarlets on backing up from last weekend, you look a very good team still who will be competitive in both competitions. Next week will tell us if this was just a blip for Glasgow or whether we have shot our bolt. Hopefully it is the former!

Good to see a lot of Glasgow fans down in Wales for the game and they all looked like they were enjoying themselves.

You’re supporters in the North stand and in the west stand really did Glasgow credit. I remember a few points sitting there in the south and thinking wow they’re drowning out the home fans.

by **RDW** Sun 8 Apr - 22:26

The Oracle wrote:Not sure if anyone noticed this at the time or has seen the link, but Gareth Davies and Ali Price recreated the intercept try from the 6 Nations in almost identical fashion yesterday! Spooky!

https://rugbyonslaught.com/chilling-ali-pryce-gareth-davies-recreate-identical-intercept-try-six-nations/

Good to see Price is learning from his mistakes! Rolling Eyes

Genuine question - when did Glasgow last play well against a big team? As impressive as Glasgow's dominance over the pool has been, they've really not hit their stride in big games in a long time.

by **BigGee** Mon 9 Apr - 9:48

RDW_Scotland wrote:
The Oracle wrote:Not sure if anyone noticed this at the time or has seen the link, but Gareth Davies and Ali Price recreated the intercept try from the 6 Nations in almost identical fashion yesterday! Spooky!

https://rugbyonslaught.com/chilling-ali-pryce-gareth-davies-recreate-identical-intercept-try-six-nations/

Good to see Price is learning from his mistakes!

Genuine question - when did Glasgow last play well against a big team? As impressive as Glasgow's dominance over the pool has been, they've really not hit their stride in big games in a long time.

Exeter in the Euro cup is probably the answer to that question. Truth is though that we have not played many big teams since then, Munster in Ireland and then yesterday, both of which we lost but otherwise we have beaten what is in front of us. Thee is no shame in losing away to either of Munster or Scarlets, both very good sides.

I can excuse the rustiness to some extent and the disruption by bringing back the internationals but the bigger worry was the way we got murdered in the scrums again, despite having our best props out. Any of the sides we play in the playoffs will have good scrums and this is going to cost us big time unless we sort it out. Losing Kebble (for the rest of the season I imagine) is not going to help that either.

by **NeilyBroon** Mon 9 Apr - 14:11

BigGee wrote:
RDW_Scotland wrote:
The Oracle wrote:Not sure if anyone noticed this at the time or has seen the link, but Gareth Davies and Ali Price recreated the intercept try from the 6 Nations in almost identical fashion yesterday! Spooky!

https://rugbyonslaught.com/chilling-ali-pryce-gareth-davies-recreate-identical-intercept-try-six-nations/

Good to see Price is learning from his mistakes!

Genuine question - when did Glasgow last play well against a big team? As impressive as Glasgow's dominance over the pool has been, they've really not hit their stride in big games in a long time.

Exeter in the Euro cup is probably the answer to that question. Truth is though that we have not played many big teams since then, Munster in Ireland and then yesterday, both of which we lost but otherwise we have beaten what is in front of us. Thee is no shame in losing away to either of Munster or Scarlets, both very good sides.

I can excuse the rustiness to some extent and the disruption by bringing back the internationals but the bigger worry was the way we got murdered in the scrums again, despite having our best props out. Any of the sides we play in the playoffs will have good scrums and this is going to cost us big time unless we sort it out. Losing Kebble (for the rest of the season I imagine) is not going to help that either.

I think a large amount of the blame can lay at Humphrys' doorstep. As far as forwards coaches go in the Scottish set-up he is probably the worst at getting the best out of players. I think he rode a bit on Vern Cotter's coaching when it came to Scotland but now he's in a club environment where the club doesn't historically have scrum strength he's struggling. McFarland is the opposite and did a cracking job at Glasgow and is doing a great job with Scotland. You see it with Cockerill giving the Edinburgh forwards some real bite too (now they just need a decent backs/attack coach, opposite problem!).

by 21st Century Schizoid Man Mon 9 Apr - 17:48

Yes Humphreys is a rubbish forwards coach,which we were warned about by Welsh fans on here, when that feckin idiot Scott Johnson brought him North. Just hope DR can bring someone better in (it could not get worse) from NZ. Dan McFarland is a cracking forward coach who improved our set piece no end. It is now garbage again.

Also RDW well we hammered Munster, Leinster and Exeter in fact we have not dropped a point at home this season in the Pro 14 - SO FAR !

by Guest Mon 9 Apr - 20:36

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Yes Humphreys is a rubbish forwards coach,which we were warned about by Welsh fans on here, when that feckin idiot Scott Johnson brought him North. Just hope DR can bring someone better in (it could not get worse) from NZ. Dan McFarland is a cracking forward coach who improved our set piece no end. It is now garbage again.

Also RDW well we hammered Munster, Leinster and Exeter in fact we have not dropped a point at home this season in the Pro 14 - SO FAR !

Yes, I believe we were accused of being bitter at the time! king

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