Glasgow and Edinburgh 30 - Starting the new season with 2 wins - Long may it continue

First topic message reminder :

Well both Scotland's pro teams got off the mark with a W this weekend, though probably fair to say that Glasgow's was slightly more pleasing on the eye!

Still not to be sniffed at and probably a while since it last happened.

A good omen for the season, let's hope so, though early season games are not always a predictor of longer term performance. Both sides still got plenty of players to bring back into the fold and a lot of improvement to make.

Roll on 2023/24!

bsando wrote:Excited to see Ashfar develop this season, we need another scrum half to challenge Dobie. He’s built pretty similarly to Cam Roigard who was superb for the all blacks during the World Cup. Six foot four is tall for a scrum half!

Who is 6ft 4...?

Neither of those too are they're normal scrum half size!

RDW wrote:

bsando wrote:Excited to see Ashfar develop this season, we need another scrum half to challenge Dobie. He’s built pretty similarly to Cam Roigard who was superb for the all blacks during the World Cup. Six foot four is tall for a scrum half!

Who is 6ft 4...?

Neither of those too are they're normal scrum half size!

Ashfar looks pretty slimline in all honesty, could do with eating a few steaks.

The conditioners will get him up to speed I omagine and he does look like he has the tools for the job.

Decent game in Belfast tonight

Ben Healy is having a great game, he is certainly not just a kicking FH!

13-12 Edinburgh at HT

Ritchie is having some game as well.

He looks really good as an OS

squeaky bum time

Congratulations Edinburgh

That's a great result!

would have been better if we didn't let them get the bonus points at the end but first win in Ulster in 5 years so can't complain really

Ulster did well to salvage 2 BPs but some result from Edinburgh

Their best game of the season by some distance

Shout out to the young winger Harry Patterson as well, he looks like he might have a future at this level , he played very well.

Woah didn't see that coming!

Watched the game. The match was won based on the effort of the Edinburgh pack, but it's worth saying Ulster were pretty poor - what's happened to them?

Schoeman and Nel marmalised Ulster in the scrum and Kitsoff really didn't look interested all game. Our backrow was pretty marauding with Ritchie really up for it.

Healy looked confident as always and took the ball flat to the line. Our backs still have a lot to work to do though as we're just not clicking as a unit. Young Paterson on the wing looked lively. Tom Swiel looks a bit lost at 15 - I'm not sure what benefit there is in playing a journeyman on a short term deal instead of a young gun.

So frustrating that we lost that Bennetton game as we'd be looking good in the table now!

So, Kitshof wins the World Cup in Paris then gets his debut at Scotstoun and loses. Then makes his home debut at Kingspan and loses.

Life is stranger than Poopie.

Lads!!! I've told Doc Grey that as the resident expert on all things Stains it falls to him to start a witty, eloquent, funny and SPARKLING thread for Friday's match. Get your judging hats on.

Glasgow Warriors team to face Northampton Saints at Scotstoun, Friday 8 December, kick-off 8pm. Tickets are still available for the match at glasgowwarriors.org.

1 Jamie Bhatti (93)
2 Johnny Matthews (57)
3 Zander Fagerson (133)
4 Sintu Manjezi (15)
5 Richie Gray (106)
6 Scott Cummings (111)
7 Rory Darge (37)
8 Matt Fagerson (99)

9 Sean Kennedy (28)
10 Tom Jordan (31)
11 Ollie Smith (36)
12 Stafford McDowall (C) (64)
13 Huw Jones (61)
14 Sebastian Cancelliere (30)
15 Josh McKay (32)

Replacements

16 George Turner (93)
17 Oli Kebble (90)
18 Lucio Sordoni (22)
19 Max Williamson (2)
20 Ally Miller (18)
21 Sione Vailanu (26)
22 Ben Afshar (2)
23 Ross Thompson (40)

Pretty much full strength from Glasgow, baring injuries and a bit of gentle rotation. Sione having a week off is negated by the return of Shuggy.

Good to see Big Max Williamson getting another crack and finally Ross Thompson makes an appearence, probably due to Duncy's dismall kicking last weekend, which cost us a point at Munster.

jimbopip wrote:Lads!!! I've told Doc Grey that as the resident expert on all things Stains it falls to him to start a witty, eloquent, funny and SPARKLING thread for Friday's match. Get your judging hats on.

I may be asking for a second opinion. You don't get this nonsense on the NHS. You don't get seen in A&E for 36 hours either, but that's normal isn't it?

Shug's back

Wee Shona's out

Stafford playing his 93rd game in a row

New lad called Thompson on the bench anyone any idea who he is???

jimbopip wrote:Lads!!! I've told Doc Grey that as the resident expert on all things Stains it falls to him to start a witty, eloquent, funny and SPARKLING thread for Friday's match. Get your judging hats on.

I think someone has been mixing some White Lightening in his morning coffee. Unfortunately that is what it will take me to meet Jimbo's high standards.

Teams (from the BBC)
Glasgow Warriors: McKay;
Cancelliere,
Jones,
McDowall (capt),
Smith;
Jordan,
Kennedy;
Bhatti,
Matthews,
Fagerson,
Manjezi,
Gray (anyone, even someone who spells 'Grey' wrong is OK in my book)
Cummings,
Darge (stink, stink, stink, this guy always plays great against English teams),
Fagerson.

Replacements: Turner, Kebble, Sordoni, Williamson, Miller, Vailanu, Afshar, Thompson.

Northampton Saints:
Furbank (capt-stud and he got rid of his pornstar mustache);
Sleightholme (watch out or he will score.  Again.  And again.  Great finisher, also son of my old mate Jon Sleightholme former Saint wing from 25 years ago),
Freeman (England's soon to be saviour in the mid-field),
Dingwall (Dinger awesome, don't underestimate awesome),
Hendy (young'un, just turned 21, tall, thin, fast, good under high balls, looks like is 12);
Smith (the Finster, also 21, has kind of a Rain Man haircut, please do not break him),
Mitchell (The only starting player in the England squad Borthwick disliked - so Mitchell will actually do radical stuff like attack and run with the ball, pass the ball - to the wingers, to boot, and score tries.  No wonder he is Borthwick's last option at 9 and our first)

Waller (100 years old, ain't in dog years either),
Langdon (good player),
Hill (great runner, but as a prop, a great runner),
Lockett (also 21, but he's from Colchester, so he might have a knife on him),
Moon (Moon, not a Moonie),
Lawes (just the best there is),
Scott-Young (never liked names with hyphens, always thought people with hyphens should be Polo players),
Graham (Two seasons ago in the Championship, but now tearing up trees for Saints, but we wish he could tackle too).

Replacements: R Smith, Haffar, Davison, Mayanavanua, Pearson, James, Litchfield, Seabrook.

Referee: Luc Ramos (Fra).  Not sure, the pic was blurry, but I thought I saw a pic of the referee leaving Nicola Sturgeon's house early in the morn the other day.  Could they have been discussing SNP business at 5:00am?

A change to the Glasgow lineup.

Ollie Keeble gives up his place on the bench, due to the birth of his son today (could be a SQ prop in 20 years time!)

Nathan McBeth steps into the breach

Congrats to Ollie and his partner on their new bundle of joy!

Where are we going to discuss the Glasgow-Northampton match? This thread or the Championship Cup thread where the proletariat can see our knowledgeable riposte and witty repartee? By the way, Saints away jerseys are trash.

Here of course!

It's a fair weather night in Glasgow I see!

BigGee wrote:Here of course!

It's a fair weather night in Glasgow I see!

Does that mean you can see more than 20 ft due to the fog and rain?

My stream hasn't started yet...

It is a wee bit drecht, as the locals would say

Probably fair to say the annual precipitation levels are marginally higher in Glasgow than Northampton

Don't pass to the predatory Puma

Seba picks up the intercept and runs it in!

OMG - blatant cheating there.....
Scored by an Argie.  I probably shot at his father in the Falklands....

Saints right back in there, choosing the right option and Lawes uses all of his height to score

7-5 Saints

Courtney Lawes!
Probably doesn't make it over the line if he was not 6' 6".

Finn Smith kicks a pen

10-5 Saints

Horror pass from Mitchell. Pretty miserable opening 5 mins from him. Seems to have warmed up now though.

Fin Smith showing up very well in his second home. Created the try and kicking very nicely.

Saints should have scored earlier, Freeman has been fantastic but going himself instead of drawing the last man and passing to Hendy was an error.

Another try for Saints, who look very impressive now they have settled

15-5 Saints

Ohhhh, That man, Tommy Freeman. Saints had people always in support but also willing to attack the breakdown.

The weather does look a wee bit humid...

BigGee wrote:Another try for Saints, who look very impressive now they have settled

15-5 Saints

Saints can go flat brain wave at any time against any opponent. The question is not really 'if' but 'when and for how long'...

Cummings gets a YC for a reckless lineout play

On the harsh side, you would say. Nothing malicious there but looks like the Saints player going off

That's a harsh yellow card. Penalty and nothing more. I hope they take Waller off for a proper check over, that's a lot of weight to land on the neck/head.

Tommy Freeman surely staking a claim for an England spot.

Tackling is optional for the Edinburgh backline this evening

Yikes, the game is going away from Glasgow rapidly. Saints score again while Glasgow down to 14

22-5 Saints

Now, that's what we are talking about. And scored by such a fine young man. Rather.....Saintly.

Saints are destroying the Glasgow maul tonight, which has looked impregnable up to this point this season

Courtney Lawes again.

BigGee wrote:Saints are destroying the Glasgow maul tonight, which has looked impregnable up to this point this season

That was something I was concerned about. Saints have not been that good

Seba almost again!

That was a big defensive play from Glasgow, another try there would have been it

This wind must be worth a few points but still a big hill for Glasgow to climb

That was a big stop on the line. Even though the referee has clearly been paid off, I must say that was great defense by Glasgow.

That second Freeman try was very impressive. Fin Smith is just enabling that Saints attack to run riot.

The young loosehead off the bench Haffar has been carrying a lot and generally to good effect. Good impact.

Really good half from Saints, they've looked brilliant in attack and pretty good in defence. Although I agree with Austin Healy *spit*, Glasgow have moved away from what was gaining them ground.

Thought that the yellow card was ridiculous, it is just unfortunate that Waller got injured. Still, I'm interested to see how Haffar gets on.

Dunno what’s worse, Edinburgh’s performance or Viaplays coverage of rugby games

Cumbrian wrote:Really good half from Saints, they've looked brilliant in attack and pretty good in defence.  Although I agree with Austin Healy *spit*, Glasgow have moved away from what was gaining them ground.

Thought that the yellow card was ridiculous, it is just unfortunate that Waller got injured.  Still,  I'm interested to see how Haffar gets on.

Agree with all you said. To be fair, this is probably the best half of Rugby Saints have played against a good team in a very long time. Just have to watch where they are passing just a bit better.

Afshar on for Kennedy, who it has to be said has not played very well in the first half