Sale Sharks v Glasgow Warriors European Champions Cup Saturday 18th January 2020

Sale Sharks v Glasgow Warriors
European Champions Cup 6th Round
AJ Bell Stadium
Salford

Saturday 18th January 2020
KO 17.30
Live on BT Sport

Well the final round of the cup and somewhat to all of the supporters surprise after losing at home to La Rochelle, Glasgow are still in with a shout at qualification, albeit a fairly tenuous one.

We need one of the other likely group runners up to slip up at the final hurdle, most likely Saints playing in Lyon or Sarries losing at home to Racing. Neither of those are impossible scenarios but you probably would not be betting the mortgage on that happening. Gloucester losing to Toulouse away is probably a more predictable result and it is hard to see Ulster not getting anything from their game at home to Bath and so the are likely to make it through as well.

The good thing for Glasgow is that we won't know the final reckoning until sunday, so all we can do is go out and try and win the game and it should ensure that we go into it fully loaded as we also need a try BP to give us any chance at all. So that almost guarantees for us fans going to watch it, that it is likely to be an entertaining game to watch.

It is not exactly clear what is in the game for Sale, other than pride as they are already out, nor what kind of a team they will put out. They certainly went easy in their away trip to France last weekend so could bring back some first choice players, but they do also have big league games coming up, notably against Exeter, so won't be likely to risk anyone either,

From Glasgow's perspective, they should not be assuming that Sale will roll over and die and so need to pick a team that can win and win well. The good performance against Exeter last weekend will make selection easier, assuming everyone is fit following that game. There is a good break coming up for the Pro 14 players, so we can probably take more of a chance on this must win game. Glasgow have been slowly building some form over the past few weeks and look a lot more back to their old selves but I would still make a few tweaks from the Exeter team to ghive us our best shot.

I hope we see something like this:

1. Keeble
2, Brown
3. Fagerson Z
4. Gray
5. Cummings
6. Wilson
7. Gordon
8. Fagerson M
9. Horne G
10. Hastings
11. Seymour
12. Johnson
13. Jones H
14. Steyn
15. Bryce

Subs

Seuili
Turner
Nicol
Harley
Flockhart
Price
Horne P
Niko

Seymour and Keeble limped off during the game last week and so I guess might be doubtful. Matt Fagerson also went off early and I am not sure why, it seemed like it might have been a tactic to try and contain the Exeter pack with Harley adding his physicality.

Anyway that is a half decent team if we can get it out and we may at least be able to do our bit and leave the rest to the gods of rugby to decide!

I guess all Glasgow can do is aim for 5 point and hope for the best. Worth putting out the strongest side possible in my opinion but Sale away will be a tough one. Expecting a tight game and probably no BP.

I don't know, if the weather permits. both sides might chuck it about a bit. Sale have got nothing to lose and have a few exciting players of their own who might want to show their wares.

I just realised that I have totally forgotten about Nakarawa as well, will DR drop him into the squad for this one? He could be the catalyst to get us the BP that we will need.

The reports are that he is in reasonable nick and is training and learning the moves and calls. I guess we will see if he is added to the squad this week or not!

Surely can't hurt to have him at least on the bench?

He'll still make more impact than Tim Swinson even if he's been sitting on the beach for months doing nothing!

To be fair, Swinson played very well against Benetton having hardly been near the team all season, it would more likely be Harley to stand down for him, which would be a much bigger call.

Glasgow posting pictures of Naks out training with the team today

Does thst mean he will be playing?

#nakisback

https://www.theoffsideline.com/callum-gibbins-cited/

Gibbins gets cited for his YC incident when he hit the Exeter player on the head with his elbow. It was not a horrendous incident, but hard to see him not getting a short ban for it. He would be well advised to put his hand up, say sorry and take nice biscuits.

I hope Tom Gordon is going to be fit for the Sale game.

Too right - was a clear red card.

Yep, astonishing that he stayed on the field after that

Well no Matt Fagerson for this one, as he broke a rib last weekend and that explains why he went off at HT.

Wilson to No.8 for me and Flockhart onto the BS, which will free up a bench slot for Leone Nakarawa, not a bad replacement!

and right on track, Leone takes McDonald's place in the squad.

It seems pretty likely we will get our first look at him this weekend.

Really bad news for middle Fagerson.
However, the prospect of Uncle Bignaks on Saturday is wonderful.
Batman has started 12 games now and may well be rested on Saturday. Will Gibbins be banned? . Batman-Fagerson-Gibbins could easily be DR's preferred back row. So, Flockhart- Ashe- Gordon? If Ashe isn't fit yet could we see Naknak at 8?

Wilson just needs to get through one more game on Saturday, then he gets a month off, so I can't see him not playing. Even more so as he is actually playing very well just now.

With Gibbins almost certainly getting some time out, I imagine Glasgow will have factored that in already and the need for him to captain the side. When they saw the play back they will realise his best tactic will be to say sorry and bring expensive biscuits, He will get a longer ban if he tries to argue his case. He may not have meant to clock the guy on the head, nor maybe even realised he had done so at the time, but he did nevertheless.

I would be very happy with Flockhart-Wilson-Gordon and Naks and Harley on the bench. Both Cummings and Gray can easily go the full 80 and that gives us the most flexibility.

Gee you just got a lifetime ban from the GWFB Zgroup for suggesting the Gibbins might be less than infallible
Naka may be added to the squad for the, possible, QF as this is the last opportunity to do so. I'd still love to see him though.

Gibbins gets 2 weeks! Probably the best case scenario, the biscuits and saying sorry did the trick.

Once upon a time, when I was fairly new at my job as the senior nurse on duty, I got summoned to a ward in the hospital to try and placate an angry Jewish family, who had walked onto the ward to find the health care assistant feeding their relative a ham sandwich. I was not quite sure how to deal with this and so asked some advice of a more senior colleague. He told me to go and say sorry, say it a few times more and then when I finished, say it again. That tactic actually worked very well and defused the situation quite nicely and now that I am an old sage myself, I often dispense the same advice to the greenhorns.

When you are caught bang to rights, it is the best, if not the only tactic. Someone else did suggest to say to them that it was all ok, as he did seem to be enjoying the sandwich! Fortunately I was not so green as to follow that pearl of wisdom.

You won't be surprised to hear that the GWFB group is not a club I have ever considered joining, what was it Groucho marx said?

According to Toonie, Flockhart may have been in the Scotland squad if not injured, so he may well be out as well.

I am sure we are going to see Naknaks, we need to chase the game and score 4 tries, who better to have in the squad to help that process along!

Roll on Saturday!

Please say Flockhart has a decent nickname, like Ally

I think Jimbo is still working on that one!

That name always makes me think of Lord Flashart, the character Rik Myall played in Blackadder!

If we're going down the Ally McSqueal route then it would be Callista.
Personally, I see Bruce (that is his first name isn't it) and I think "The Boss". Or Nemo.
He looks like a Nemo.
So we're agreed.

BigGee wrote:Gibbins gets 2 weeks! Probably the best case scenario, the biscuits and saying sorry did the trick.

Once upon a time, when I was fairly new at my job as the senior nurse on duty, I got summoned to a ward in the hospital to try and placate an angry Jewish family, who had walked onto the ward to find the health care assistant feeding their relative a ham sandwich. I was not quite sure how to deal with this and so asked some advice of a more senior colleague. He told me to go and say sorry, say it a few times more and then when I finished, say it again. That tactic actually worked very well and defused the situation quite nicely and now that I am an old sage myself, I often dispense the same advice to the greenhorns.

When you are caught bang to rights, it is the best, if not the only tactic. Someone else did suggest to say to them that it was all ok, as he did seem to be enjoying the sandwich! Fortunately I was not so green as to follow that pearl of wisdom.

You won't be surprised to hear that the GWFB group is not a club I have ever considered joining, what was it Groucho marx said?

According to Toonie, Flockhart may have been in the Scotland squad if not injured, so he may well be out as well.

I am sure we are going to see Naknaks, we need to chase the game and score 4 tries, who better to have in the squad to help that process along!

Roll on Saturday!

I was very dissapointed as a yougster to take out a book at the library all about Marxism and it wasnt funny in the slightest!

But in answer to your question sir

"I sent the club a wire stating: Please accept my resignation. I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member"

PS, RE the ham sandwich, you should have done a Boris and said it wasnt ham but a soya based subsitute product that looked, smelled and tasted like ham, but wasnt ham!

You have clearly never faced down an angry and persistent Jewish family Tattie, they would have wanted cproof that it was certified as a Kosher soya based substitute that looked like, smelled and tasted like ham!

A song for Saturday

One Gray in Glasgow
We'll still have one Gray in Glasgow
One Gray in Glasgow
We'll still have one Gray in Glasgow

Ayethagyew

SALE SHARKS
15. Joe Carpenter, 14. Denny Solomona, 13. Luke James, 12. James Williams, 11. Marland Yarde, 10. Thomas Curtis, 9. Will Cliff, 1. Ross Harrison, 2. Curtis Langdon, 3. Willgriff John, 4. Matthew Postlewhaite, 5. James Phillips, 6. Tom Curry, 7. Ben Curry, 8. Jono Ross (c).

Replacements:
16. Rob Webber, 17. Ben Carlile, 18. Jake Cooper-Woolley, 19. Sam Dugdale, 20. Cameron Neild, 21. Fergus Warr, 22. Cameron Redpath, 23. Thomas Roebuck,

Very weakened team.

Yes, given all the saffers the weekend off.

Can't post it atm, as driving up to Manchester but Glasgow full strength and Nakarawa starts at BS

Well , Glasgow should be too strong for that B side. But sometimes things don't go to plan.
Big Naknaks-Batman-Mullet is quite some prospect.

I am up in Sunny Manchester just now and the forecast is good for tomorrow cold but dry.

No rxcuses from the weather this time.

I can't decide how todays news will likely effrct the Sarries players for Sunday. Knowing them, it will most likely galvinise them.

Our best chsnce of going through will be if Saints trip up in Lyon

How were the roads, Gee. Any roadworks to avoid?

Not to bad, especially for a friday afternoon

Bit of carriageway work on the M6 north of Birmingham but we kept moving, never really stopped.

I take it you are driving up tomorrow, which stand are you in?

Bru has the tickets. Were in one parallel to the pitch (lengthwise not to the tryline) section W7 Row R. I think were just about level with the 22. What about yourself?

We are in E03

The smaller of the two main stands. I'll give you a text when we are there if you are on the same side as us

If we are E and you are W

We are probably on opposite sides!

I'm supporting Glasgow, the NHS, the workers of all countries, Partick Thistle, my thankless children and MrsPip's Yankee Candle habit.
Which side are you on?

All of the afore mentioned and probably a few more!

Baz and I have opted for a hotel in Eccles. If your student posse have any tips for after match refreshments let me know.

Not sure they know to much about Eccles

We are getting whisked off to somewhere trendy in town post match, lsrgely, i am sure, because i am paying!

I suppose if i am honest, when i was younger i probably took the same advantage of my old man!

We are staying in Salford Quays, its quite nice and was not even that expensive. Everybody seems to be doing dry January as well, as the pub we hsve just been to for dinner was not even busy

It's the end of days.

Welcome back Leone!

Ha. Can’t argue with that for Big Nakpaddywak

DTH looking so much better this game

Big Nakpaddywak clearly Fiweegian at heart

Fraser Brown putting a marker down to start for Scotland.

RDW wrote:Fraser Brown putting a marker down to start for Scotland.

Can’t really argue against him. Probably in better form than McInally right now. Daft penalties aside

McInally hasn't played in weeks so there's no comparison!

Even before. He’s been sluggish since the underachieving World Cup campaign.

Think we’ll seen Brown starting but by the 3rd or 4th game we’ll see McInally starting

Leone just got 10 mins, he probsbly needs the rest looks a bit puffed!

Leone having a 10 min snooze makes it difficult for cowboy Dave. I’d have seen leone not coming out again after the half or swapped out at 50 mins.

Now Dave has to decide how to navigate the sin bin time and then likely put leone back out there for 15 more mins

All a bit too easy for Glasgow!

Where's this performance come from DTH - he's been rotten all season and I thought he was done!

Job done, been a pretty impressive showing so far