Craggy Islanders Thirds v The Non Kath Kidson Wearing Rugby Club From Scotland

Well, a new season is upon us and Glasgow begin with a trip to wet and windy Galway. Rumours that Boris Johnson spent £40 million on "consultancy fees" to help the Galwegians come up with a snappy and imaginative name for their stadium are totally unfounded. £40m wouldn't get you something as imaginative and insightful as The Sportsground! What it actually gets you is, "A garden bridge, Boris?? Don't be such a feccin eejit."

Now Scotstoun...that's a proper name that is. Reminds the players that they are Scots...and they play in the toon. Ratu Tagive, Aki Seuli and Leone Nakarawa must find that very reassuring whenever they have an existential crisis.

The game? In the absence of any form whatsoever I shall predict a bonus point win for Glasgow. And why not?

My ignorance of the state of affairs in Galway knows no bounds...so hopefully one of our Celtic cousins will climb aboard and enlighten us.

Glasgow line up..

1. Kebble hoping to catch Toonie's eye and play himself into form before his Scotland debut
2. Brown will want to be the starting hooker for Scotland, since Rambo has been very "Meh" lately. Even for a Luvvie
3. Ragnar The Pretty Must be a Lion next year.
4. Big Ritchie
5. Future Scotland Captain he's everything a modern second row should be
6. The Giant Crayon It's in the rules, if he wants to play 6 he does
7. Mullett
8. Middle Fagerson Possibly the Crayon will bench as 4/6 cover and Callista Flockhart will start.
9. Aldi Price Hornito benching
10. Haircut
11. Seaman
12. Smiling Sam/ Lord Stafford/Furra Linee
13. Battleship Griggtempkin/ Not A Pony/ Paddy Kelly Actually, I'd like to see Kelly get a start: he'd probably feel right at home in Galway
14. Ratu
15. Rufus MacLean?..Ollie Smith?

Subs;
16 Fitter&
17. Seulli
18. The Fugitive and/or The One Armed Man
19 McDonald or BBB (see above)
20. Callista Flockhart or BBB
21. Hornoto
22. Furra Linee
23. Depends how brave, innovative, totally Toonie-esque Danny Wilson decides to be. The safe choice is Not A Pony stats at 15 with Tatu and Seaman on the wings. So Niko at 23.

I look forward to some sensible response from the Craggy Islanders' fans.

If Nakarawa is around, I would like to see him at BS. If not, Flockhart or Wilson will do.

If he goes conservative at fullback, looking at Seymour or Bryce. If he wants to continue the first experiment, Jones. If he wants youth, Smith. If he wants to go full Tombola, Matawalu or McDowall.

Kebble has a real opportunity to find himself with a bench spot against Wales. This is his first opportunity to put his name on the ticket.

very odd playing games when the previous season aint finished yet (europe wise)

Still needs must.

Glasgow will need to hit the ground running for these fringe players to put thier hands up for international honours.

Keeble needs to be able to show he can play for more than one half or rugby for one!

Connacht will want to start well and make use of any Irish test players before Other Andy comes calling.   Should be a full-on lineup.

I am not even sure Naks is in Scotland yet, his stay in Fiji was extended by a familly bereavement apparently.

We have still heard nothing about a new contract for Flockhart either, though everyone assumes he has got one.

I am not sure we will see many kids out for this game though. We need to get off to a good start and there will be more than enough opportunities for them once the international window kicks in. Lets try and get some points on ghe board while we have the chance!

good thread though Jim

Nakarawa has just arrived in Scotland and needs to self isolate for 2 weeks. Then he's off into Fiji camp...

RDW wrote:Nakarawa has just arrived in Scotland and needs to self isolate for 2 weeks. Then he's off into Fiji camp...

That isn't good news - we're about as threadbare as possible in the BR. The Flockhart one is strange too, he must be getting another contract otherwise they would have announced his departure by now - all a bit weird.

It appears that Smiling Sam, Seaman and Jinxy Allan are all unavailable.
The pics on the Warriors' FB page are highlighting young players so I'm guessing
1. Kebble
2. Chuckles
4. Gray
5. Cummings
6.BBB
7. Mullet
8. Matt F
9. Hornito
10. Haircut
11. Ratu
12Lord Stafford Of MacDowall
13. Uncle Squiggsy
14. Tennessee Tom
15. Not A Pony
16. Fitter &
17. Akin
18. The Fugitive
19. McDonald
20. Batman
22 Aldi Price
21. Furra Linee
23 Nairn
3. Ragnar

I thought you were a teacher Jimbo, what happened to 1 - 23?

Struggling with Uncle Squiggsy (Kelly?), Fitter & (Turner?) and Akin (Seulli?)

Ah Hazel! Have a Gold Star (and an extra ten minutes "private tuition " with Madamoiselle Lapetomaine from the MFL department) for spotting my non sequential numbering deliberate mistake.
Uncle Squiggsy is apparently what Batman's offspring call Nick Griggs when he babysits them

Akin is a spell check error! Should havebeen Aki as in Seulli.

According to the Blessed Big Gee, the Laddie With The Lump, Robbie Nairn is doing the midweek media chores for Glasgow. This usually is a fair indication that a player is starting at the weekend.
I think I'd like to see him at 15 and Not A Pony at 13. Worst case is that Ratu was more seriously injured scoring against the Luvvies and is about to be sidelined for a spell again.

It could also mean we see Seymour at 15 and Nairn on the wing.

Reckon this is the season he needs to step up or else risk getting lost in the shuffle. Two young guys coming up, the old guard moving on and a new coach. Hopefully he can deliver

Two players we won't be seeing are Callista and the Jale.
Flockhart is taking "an extended break" .
The Jale is leaving permanently having failed to reach the fitness levels required.

The club has signed a Tongan back rower. From Doncaster.

Team's up

1. Oli Kebble (49)
2. Fraser Brown (C) (100)
3. D’arcy Rae (71)
4. Rob Harley (232)
5. Scott Cummings (70)
6. Ryan Wilson (170)
7. Chris Fusaro (179)
8. Matt Fagerson (63)
9. Ali Price (88)
10. Adam Hastings (44)
11. Robbie Nairn (10)
12. Stafford McDowall (21)
13. Nick Grigg (71)
14. Tommy Seymour (144)
15. Huw Jones (37)
Replacements
16. George Turner (49)
17. Aki Seiuli (11)
18. Enrique Pieretto (1)
19. Richie Gray (48)
20. Fotu Lokotui (0)
21. George Horne (57)
22. Pete Horne (171)
23. Ratu Tagive (13)
Unavailable for selection: Sam Johnson, Lee Jones, Sean Kennedy, Kiran McDonald, Kyle Steyn.
Tom Gordon and Zander Fagerson are unavailable for selection for the upcoming game in order to comply with the necessary Scottish Government Covid-19 isolation protocols and to protect the medical integrity of the wider squad.

Mullett and Ragnar being in isolation is not good.
Mind, that replacement front row looks as id it could do some damage.

Teams out:

1. Oli Kebble (49)
2. Fraser Brown (C) (100)
3. D’arcy Rae (71)
4. Rob Harley (232)
5. Scott Cummings (70)
6. Ryan Wilson (170)
7. Chris Fusaro (179)
8. Matt Fagerson (63)

9. Ali Price (88)
10. Adam Hastings (44)
11. Robbie Nairn (10)
12. Stafford McDowall (21)
13. Nick Grigg (71)
14. Tommy Seymour (144)
15. Huw Jones (37)

Replacements

16. George Turner (49)
17. Aki Seiuli (11)
18. Enrique Pieretto (1)
19. Richie Gray (48)
20. Fotu Lokotui (0)
21. George Horne (57)
22. Pete Horne (171)
23. Ratu Tagive (13)

Unavailable for selection: Sam Johnson, Lee Jones, Sean Kennedy, Kiran McDonald, Kyle Steyn. Tom Gordon and Zander Fagerson are unavailable for selection for the upcoming game in order to comply with the necessary Scottish Government Covid-19 isolation protocols and to protect the medical integrity of the wider squad.

Despite all my grumbling about squad depth, Glasgow can still put out a decent 23 even accounting for a few injuries.

Great minds and all that, Jimbo

Decent impact to come off the bench. The front five for Glasgow starting and replacements look solid, back row needs some work (fingers crossed for Lokotui) and backs are strong as normal.

With Huw Jones at 15, it does help with our logjam at centre at least

Interesting to see McDowall start over Horne - definitely a decision I like. it's time for him to push forward, he should be making a big impact this year.

With the exception of the new boy Lokotui the bench looks very impressive . Perhaps Lokotui will be a find, certainly he should have plenty opportunities over the next eight matches.
All of the replacements bring pace and should be able to up the tempo in the last 30 minutes.

]Andy Friend putting out a near full-strength team for this one.  He's set his squad a target of winning all their home games this season.

John Porch, Peter Sullivan, Tom Farrell, Bundee Aki, Alex Wootton, Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; 

Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Quinn Roux, Jarrad Butler (c), Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle.

Replacements: Jonny Murphy, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Niall Murray, Seán Masterson, Caolin Blade, Conor Fitzgerald, Sammy Arnold.

For all that, he let 14 players go in the off-season and brought in 12 Irish-qualified plus just 2 furriners, one of whom, No 8, Papalii managed to get himself red-carded in his first match, and does not feature this weekend.  A few names who've been transferred between provinces that will be looking to prove a point, but there's one or two youngsters in there and they'll have their work cut out against Glasgow.

Almost time for some rugby, can't wait

Early penalty for Connacht

Which they take and are 3-0 up

Glasgow getting whistled off the pitch at the moment, most of them deserved to be fair.

Carty misses the kick though, pretty poor kick

Glasgow penalty now, looks like Keeble winning the scrum battle

Good attacking line out coming up

Jones spoons a pass to Nairn with the line at their mercy

That should have been a try but they were playing advantage

Third penalty for Glasgow and Roux walks for 10 for Connacht

They take the kick at goal this time

Hastings misses a sitter though, still 3-0

Nairn spills another good opportunity, he needs to take these

Kebble looks to be struggling. For me Glasgow are on top, just. Good contest.

A great maul from Glasgow wins them another pen

Definitely got the feel of the first game of the season

So many mistakes from both sides

Best play of the half gives Glasgow another 5m lineout

and Grigg scores under the posts, that was coming. last play of the half

Hastings kicks this one

7-3 Glasgow

Nick Grigg looks as wide as he is tall

Must be a nightmare to tackle, his centre of gravity is about 50 cm off the ground!

In past matches Glasgow have struggled to get out of that bottom right hand corner and consequently lost the territorial battle. I don't know if the wind is calmer than usual or if Hastings is canny about when and how he kicks(he seems to be kicking quite low and flat) but we seem to be exiting pretty easily. It'll be interesting to see DW's attitude towards substitution.

Aki gets one back

10 all

and Connacht get another, they have come out of the shed very hungry

17-10 Connacht

and a great bit of skill from Shuggy takes him under the posts

Game is really opening up

17 all

Another penalty Connacht

20-17 Connacht

and Aki scores from a turnover, bit of a soft one

25-17 Connacht

and Tommy S gets one back, well worked try, what a second half this has been

25-24 connacht

Another penalty to Connacht

28-24 Connacht

We need a try

Poor pass from Jones, may be our last chance

28-24 Connacht FT

Hard to argue with that really, Connacht deserved it for the second half performance

I guess we should be happy with a BP, we just did not take our chances

Well done Connacht

Great game. Hard lines, Glasgow.

Connacht complete a sweep for the provinces on first weekend - first in a long time.

Fair play Connacht.
I thought Haircut had a good game but made a couple of loose kicks which gave Connacht good attacking positions.

A good game though.

Fair play Connacht.
I thought Haircut had a good game but made a couple of loose kicks which gave Connacht good attacking positions.

A good game though.

So good you said it twice Jimbo!.

Not a good weekend for Scottish rugby, although at least sounds like Glasgow made a game of it.

What happened to Edinburgh? That’s a poor start to their Pro 14 campaign.

Is Nick Grigg on the Bastareaud diet? He's an absolute battle ship!

Lovely finish by Huw Jones.

Hastings' miss in front of the posts was a huge mistake.