Munster v Glasgow Saturday 27th October

Munster v Glasgow Warriors
Saturday 27th October
Thormond Park
Limerick

ko 17.15

Live on Premier Sports


Two teams on good form, judging by the European games over the last two weeks, but that probably counts for very little in predicting this game, as both teams will be without the bulk of their international players, who will be prepping for the Autumn International series.

I actually enjoy these games, partially due to their unpredictability and also because I like to see the next generation of up and coming players get their opportunities to prove that they belong at this level.

Having said that, both sides have pretty deep squads and will be able to put out a decent team, with plenty of international players still available and others who are on the fringes.

Thormond Park is rarely a happy hunting ground for any team, whichever Munster team is playing, as home victories are seen as a basic requirement. Glasgow along with most other teams have always struggled there. However what bragging rights there are this season, belong to the Scots, who won the home leg quite convincingly and are sitting on top of their conference, not that it will count for a great deal on Saturday afternoon.

History suggests a Munster win and it will need a big performance from Glasgow to upset that.

Sterling work Gee.

There are few sights to compare with a full Thomond rocking to "Stand Up and Fight, Boys".
I think before kick off DR might want to remind the team what Martin Johnson said to his lads when the Millennium was echoing to the Welsh crowd signing "Guide Me Thou Oh Great Redeemer":
"Won't it be nice in an hours time when this place is silent and they've all fecced off home?" .
That's the only way to respect the home crowd in my book.

I'm not sure about the Munster squad, but Glasgow have 16 players in the Scotland squad. Even by my reckoning that's a team and a bit.

Players available and fit

Props       Kebble, Para Handy, Bhatti, Nicol Forgot D'arcy Rae. His form has been so good I was sure he'd be with Scptland.

Hookers   Stewart, Turner

Second Row  Last Man Standing territory Peterson , Cummings, Harley if Toonie releases him

Back row  Fozzie, Mrs Gibbins Other Half, Matt Smith, The Yank we haven't seen yet ( who may well start, seeing as he is about the only no8 left)

Scrummie  Frisbee,  who should never be allowed near a rugby pitch after the Southern Kings Debacle.

Stand Off   Brandon If you don't play him why do you pay him? Thompson

Centres     Johnson (possibly), Griggs, Horne (possibly) er…. I think that's it.


Back Three DTH, MadMata, Tagive, Hughes, Rhubarb.


Front row, back row and back three aren't too shabby. Can we play 9 a side, please?

There are a few more options Jim

We could see McDowell or Paddy Kelly in the centres, both good young players who deserve a run out. If not know, then when?

Similarly on the wings we could have Robbie Nairn, who again must be itching for a chance, having only had 10 mins in a losing cause in SA so far. There is also our lesser spotted All Black to throw into the mix, he seems to be off the injured list, but that never lasts all that long!

I expect Frisbee will start at SH, though I get what you mean after SA, still a few of the other culprits have had the chance to redeem themselves, so I guess he should as well. We could see Barletto backing him up, for Niko id we really want to throw a curveball into the mix!

It is going to be an interesting team announcement tomorrow!

Paddy Kelly looks as if he could be a proper rugby player. In the under 20's an Italian flanker was bearing down on him with a two man overlap outside him. The bold Italian decided that as he was twice Kelly's size then he wouldn't bother passing but would run through him. Kelly's tackle was a thing of brutal beauty and the big flanker was left lying on the turf upchucking the chicken arrabiatta he had for lunch.
Sadly though, I'm pretty certain Kelly's on the injured list at the mo'. Layla Massager is, as ever, busy papering the walls of DR's office with sick notes; Green Monkey Disease this week, I believe.

Yeah, why not Niko at 9? Jackson at 10?
DTH-Rozza-Nairn as a back three?

Really going to depend on who they get back. Something like this

Kebble - Turner - Rae (Bhatti - Stewart - Nicol)
Cummings - McDonald* (Peterson) *someone mentioned he may be back for this one
Gibbins - Ashe - M Smith (Flockhart?)

Mata - Thomson (Frisbee)
Johnson - Grigg (Kelly)
Masaga - Jackson - DTH (Nairn)

If Ashe and McDonald are healthy, that is not a bad 23. We really start struggling if we get no one back and lose those two.

Hazel Sapling wrote:Really going to depend on who they get back. Something like this

Kebble - Turner - Rae (Bhatti - Stewart - Nicol)
Cummings - McDonald* (Peterson) *someone mentioned he may be back for this one
Gibbins - Ashe - M Smith (Flockhart?)

Mata - Thomson (Frisbee)
Johnson - Grigg (Kelly)
Masaga - Jackson - DTH (Nairn)

If Ashe and McDonald are healthy, that is not a bad 23. We really start struggling if we get no one back and lose those two.

Would prefer to see Tagive instead of Masaga. He's quick and an absolute unit so it would be great to see him get some gametime.

Hazel, the second row situation is pretty dire.
Davidson has had Nookie Broon withdrawal symptoms and gone back to the Toon.
McDonald is "nearing fitness". Which means he can blow the froth off his cappuccino unaided but requires someone to lift the almond biscotti and dunk it for him.
Swinson is so crocked he makes Layla Massger look vibrant.

I think we are down to Gray, BBB, Cummings and Oscar Peterson and Gray will be starting for Scotland.

Team's out:

Kebble Stewart Rae
BBH Cummings
Ashe Gibbins Fagerson
Horne Horne
Johnson Grigg
DTH Roza
Jackson

Bryce Bhatti Du Plessis Peterson Fusaro Frisby Thomson Mata

Good team all things considered. Was half-expecting Turner to be there but perhaps not that surprising Toonie has held onto three hookers. Surprised Fagerson got released though, didn't expect that. Wee G. hasn't had all that much game time in recent weeks with Price starting most games so makes sense to give him more minutes.

Edit: the official team announcement has Turner unavailable with a head knock. http://glasgowwarriors.org/news/18/10/26/fusaro-reach-150-munster

Team's oot

1. Oli Kebble (16)
2. Grant Stewart (8)
3. D’Arcy Rae (47)
4. Rob Harley (191)
5. Scott Cummings (43)
6. Adam Ashe (57)
7. Callum Gibbins (22) (C)
8. Matt Fagerson (32)

9. George Horne (27)
10. Pete Horne (145)
11. Rory Hughes (36)
12. Sam Johnson (41)
13. Nick Grigg (46)
14. DTH van der Merwe (107)
15. Ruaridh Jackson (141)

Replacements

16. Kevin Bryce (13)
17. Jamie Bhatti (29)
18. Petrus du Plessis (2)
19. Greg Peterson (32)
20. Chris Fusaro (149)
21. Nick Frisby (3)
22. Brandon Thomson (11)
23. Niko Matawalu (97)

Not a bad looking side, all things considered.
Good enough to win in THomond? Possibly.

To Fozzie making his 150th appearance. A humungous achievement.


If Frisby and Thompson don't come off the bench all guns blazing and desperate to make their mark then it should be time for the management to "consider their future" at the club.

Chris Fusaro will play is 150th game for Glasgow Warriors when he comes off the bench at Thomond Park tomorrow evening. Chris Fusaro will play his 150th game for the club tomorrow night

The 29-year-old is in his ninth season with the Warriors and will become just the ninth player to reach that milestone in the club’s history.

Rob Harley, Graeme Morrison, Pat MacArthur, Al Kellock, Jonny Petrie, Dougie Hall, John Barclay and Moray Low are the only players to have played more games for Glasgow than Fusaro.

In the starting XV, five of the sixteen players named in Scotland’s 2018 Autumn International squad return, notably at half-back where brothers George and Pete Horne start beside each other.

Sam Johnson returns from St. Andrews to start at inside centre, while in the pack Rob Harley and Matt Fagerson are both included.

Nick Grigg partners Johnson in midfield and behind them Rory Hughes, DTH van der Merwe and Ruaridh Jackson make up the back-three.

Fosroc Scottish Rugby Academy Hooker Grant Stewart starts for the Warriors for this first time. Oli Kebble and D’Arcy Rae pack down either side of him.

Scott Cummings starts in the engine room alongside Harley and captain Callum Gibbins and Adam Ashe complete the pack.

Fusaro is one of six internationals on the bench. Kevin Bryce, Jamie Bhatti, Greg Peterson, Nick Frisby and Niko Matawalu will also look to bring their experience to the game when called upon.

Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Dave Rennie said: “Fuzzy (Chris Fusaro) embodies everything that’s great about this club, he’s a true Warrior. He’s competitive and hardworking as well as being a ferocious player on the park and we’re all rapt to see him deservedly reach this milestone.

“Last season we fronted up against Munster at home but we were out muscled when we travelled to Ireland for the reverse leg. That’s our challenge this weekend.

"They’re such a tough side as they've shown over the past couple of weeks in Europe against quality opposition."

Glasgow Warriors team to play Munster in the Guinness PRO14 at Thomond Park, Saturday 27 October, kick off 5.15pm - live on Premier Sports 1. You can follow the game on Twitter @GlasgowWarriors. Glasgow Warriors appearances in brackets:

1. Oli Kebble (16)
2. Grant Stewart (8)
3. D’Arcy Rae (47)
4. Rob Harley (191)
5. Scott Cummings (43)
6. Adam Ashe (57)
7. Callum Gibbins (22) (C)
8. Matt Fagerson (32)

9. George Horne (27)
10. Pete Horne (145)
11. Rory Hughes (36)
12. Sam Johnson (41)
13. Nick Grigg (46)
14. DTH van der Merwe (107)
15. Ruaridh Jackson (141)

Replacements

16. Kevin Bryce (13)
17. Jamie Bhatti (29)
18. Petrus du Plessis (2)
19. Greg Peterson (32)
20. Chris Fusaro (149)
21. Nick Frisby (3)
22. Brandon Thomson (11)
23. Niko Matawalu (97)

Players unavailable through injury: Zander Fagerson (ankle), Siua Halanukanuka (foot) Stuart Hogg (ankle), Lelia Masaga (back), Kiran McDonald (hand) Robbie Nairn (groin) Tim Swinson (lower limb) and George Turner (head knock)

Agreed a much better team than anticipated with more players coming back.

Sam Jojnson could definitely do with another game.

Matt Fagerson being released suggests he won't be playing next weeknd, both Horne's could bench still I guess.

Turner has a head injury, so Grant gets his first start, which he deserves.

If SJ and Matt in the Middle are being saved for the Bok's match I won't complain.

and here are Munster as well, they are not holding to much back either:

Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Sammy Arnold, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; JJ Hanrahan, Alby Mathewson; James Cronin, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland; Peter O’Mahony (C), Chris Cloete, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Dave Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Arno Botha, Neil Cronin, Ian Keatley, Darren Sweetnam.

That's as good a side as you'd expect in the circumstances.


I hope the game lives up to its potential.

Two excellent sides, should be a belter.

Warriors by a score.

Keith Earls red carded in the third minute for punching Rob Harley. Earls claims it was a case of mistaken identity: he thought BBB was Brown.

jimbopip wrote:
Keith Earls red carded in the third minute for punching Rob Harley. Earls claims it was a case of mistaken identity: he thought BBB was Brown.

Earls then to apologise, withdraw his apology, claim he'd never been on the pitch, then accuse Robert the Spruce of having headbutted his fist, all while Munster fans complain for the next decade about Earls being booed at Scotstoun.

It's seldom I'm disappointed on these boards, as opposed to real life, but that's another story. However the complete lack of input from our Celtic Cousins is a worry.

I've had to go back to Kevin Rowland to remind myself that the ould isle has a glorious tradition of people who could actually write beautifully. As Dexy's sang in Dance Stance

Never heard about, wont think about
Oscar Wilde and Brendan Behan,
Sean ocasey, George Bernard Shaw.
Samuel Beckett, Eugene oneill, Edna obrien and Lawrence Stern.
Sean Kavanaugh and Sean Mccann,
Benedict Keilly, Jimmy Hiney
Frank oconnor and Catherine Rhine.


That's not even mentioning WB Yeats or Sean O'Faolin.

Could be a spicy old game, Rory Hughes and POM getting to know each other already!

That was crazy from Jacko, just needed to clear that

Pete Horne still not inspiring me at FH

Why did SJ go off? Twitter feed is v slow.

Anglobraveheart wrote:Why did SJ go off? Twitter feed is v slow.

Looked like a HI

Fantastic coast to coast try from Glasgow, they look to have settled a bit now

Horne misses another kick at goal, we are not going to win this game with kicks

By the sounds of it, we should be resting PH from kicking duties and let Jackson have a go.

George Horne on fire, another fantastic try

Brilliant angle cut by Nick Grigg which opened Munster and Georgie as usual on hand to finnish off

Oli Kebble off now as well, this match causing a few casualties

Great carry by Stafford McDowell, absolutely flattened the Munster centre, almost another try there

7-12 Glasgow at HT

A slow start by the Warriors but right in the game now and playing well.

Playing into the wind in the second half though, expect Munster to kick a lot more

Fantastic turnover by Matt Fagerson and Glasgow go coast to coast again. Jacko fumbles on the line and goes to TMO

No try but yellow card for Munster for a tackle off the ball

Matt Fagerson over from a 5m scrum, destroyed Munster in two scrums there

Unsurprisingly, Horne misses the conversion

Munster almost score from a Hanrahan break, caused by another poor kick from PH

Pete Horne redeems himself by scoring the 4th try. Thompson converts

Fantastic!!

an absolute nail bitter!

penalty munster, clock dead. Got to go for goal surely

Scannell kicks the goal and Munster win 25-24

Unbelievable game. Well done Munster

Fair play. That was some kick.

Damn it. Sounds like a hell of a game, and would have been a great away scalp, especially with us having so many players unavailable. Sounds like those that played have acquitted themselves very well.
Who were our stand outs? How did Ashe play?

What a comeback by Munster! 4 - 1 on the try count around the 60 mins mark. Munster squeeze out the win when one more Glasgow carry would have sealed the deal and BP away victory. Not gonna mention the reffing that was just a really good club game and fair play Munster to poach it like that. Love this rivalry, Munster vs Glasgow is always such a good game.

We were one play away from a famous win. Would have taken the two points before the start, but we could and should have won that!

Anglobraveheart wrote:Damn it. Sounds like a hell of a game, and would have been a great away scalp, especially with us having so many players unavailable. Sounds like those that played have acquitted themselves very well.
Who were our stand outs? How did Ashe play?

Good performances across the board. Pete Horne is not a FH though, nor a goal kicker. One of his missed kicks and some of them were very gettable, would have won us the game.

We lacked a bit of an impact from the bench largely as we had to commit subs on very early. They finished the stronger team on this occasion

Stewart, McDowell both played well. Bhatti looked much better and Grigg was his old self. It was a good team performance, just not quite clinical enough in the end.

As far as building the future;

Bhatti
Stewart
Rae
Cummings
Fagerson
G Horne
McDonnell
Hughes

All played well. All are SQ. All will be stronger for the experience.

As far as the Conference goes; we are leaving Limerick with 2points while Munster will be aware that they are two points closer to us but beforehand they must have been hoping for 5 points.

A moral victory for the Warriors ? Certainly! By the end of the season this may look like a good result. It already looks a very good performance.

Complete larceny. Totally undeserved from a team looking more clueless as the season goes on. Glasgow should have won by about 20+ points given the missed opportunities. Van Graan is looking more like a mates appointment. Thanks Rassie.

jimbopip wrote:

A moral victory for the Warriors ?  Certainly! By the end of the season this may look like a good result. It already looks a very good performance.

I did not know you had any Welsh Blood Jim!

Thanks for the positive GW report. It's encouraging that the squad depth is growing stronger. I really hope that Matt Fagerson gets a crack during the AI's, he was great in the last two games and has fronted up very well, especially against the ego that is Itoje.
He's now a big, handy, skillful, abrasive player, and I think there is the opportunity for him and Ashe to stake a claim for the 8 slot internationally.

I also agree that we would have taken 2 points before the game.

Glasgow Warriors "won't be dwelling" on their last-gasp loss to Munster, despite surrendering a 14-point lead, insists head coach Dave Rennie.

Warriors led 24-10 with 15 minutes remaining but conceded two tries before Rory Scannell's booming penalty snatched a 25-24 victory with time up.

Glasgow remain top of Pro14 Conference A and took two bonus points from their trip to Thomond Park.




"I was really proud of the guys," Rennie told BBC Scotland.

"It's tough to come over here against a really strong Munster side and I'm really proud of the effort."
Glasgow suffer late Thomond Park heartbreak
Late Scannell penalty sinks Glasgow - as it happened

In the final minute, Glasgow were in possession near halfway and winding down the clock with a series of tight ball-carries, before Kevin Bryce was isolated and penalised.

Rennie's side travel to second-placed Ospreys, four points below them, in six days' time.

"Obviously disappointed to lose in that fashion - we're one ruck away from winning," the New Zealander added. "It's a game of inches at this level. Munster are smart - they isolated the ball-carrier by taking out his support and they won the penalty.

"We'll take two points but five was on offer with 10 seconds on the clock.

"We've got six days to turn it around. It's a long comp. The last three weeks, we've fronted up really well and played with the right intensity. But losing sucks. So we'll take it on the chin and prepare for next week."

Rennie confirmed prop Oli Kebble will have a back problem assessed, while wing Rory Hughes will follow concussion return-to-play guidelines after suffering a brain injury.

Centre Sam Johnson was replaced during the first half with a knee issue the head coach says "doesn't look great". The Australian only made his first outing of the season last weekend after recovering from previous knee damage.

DR sounds happy enough with the effort from the players, as I guess he should be.

We took a couple of injuries though, Keeble has hurt his back and Sam Johnson does not look like he will be making his Scotland debut this autumn now with a bad looking knee injury.

Still Stafford McDowell stepped up in a mighty fashion and looked very comfortable at this level. He looks like he will be getting some game time now.

Surely DR should be fuming that they were 14 up with 15 mins to go and conceded 15 unanswered points.

Glasgow have added a bit of bite to themselves this season. Much shared to boss about.

Munster luck but as long as they get wins it's ok. If it had finished 24-10 Munster would have been level with Zebre. Hard to judge Van G but not sold on him