WHEN you face a season-defining double-header, there are worse places to go at this time of year than Italy. Not only is the weather more clement, the opposition, Benetton Treviso and Zebre, are in the bottom two places of the PRO12, having won only half a dozen games between them.
There is still a Champions Cup place on offer to the Italian club which finishes higher, and, while Zebre have been stronger so far this season, Treviso could end up ahead of them if they finish strongly. Even so, as far as Glasgow are concerned, these two games - in Treviso tonight then in Parma next Friday - are the ideal way to strengthen their claim to a top-four play-off place.
Gregor Townsend’s team are sixth just now, with a game in hand on all of the teams above them. If they win both games with bonus points they could find themselves in the top two.
Needless to say, the head coach himself is taking nothing for granted, and if his players need any reminding of how tough Treviso in particular can be, he will only have to remind them of how they struggled to a 13-6 win over the Italians at Scotstoun back in November.
“The weather was slightly different - it was a wet ball and they played smarter rugby,” Townsend said yesterday after naming his team for this evening’s match. “We couldn't get the ball off them.
“We made a couple of mistakes when we had possession close to their line, so we didn't build on some of the good work, but we showed enough character to get the win. They’re a tough team. They’re big - they’re very big, probably the biggest pack we’ll play against in the PRO12.
“They’ve shown at home in the last couple of games - they almost beat Munster and the two games before that they won - that they’re playing much better. And they almost beat Scarlets away a few weeks ago, so it will be a tough game and they’ll be looking forward to playing us at home.”
As ever, the Warriors will concentrate on securing the win this evening before thinking about chasing the bonus point. “Every game has its own story,” Townsend added. “We’re out to win and score more points than the opposition.
“If you play well and the opposition maybe doesn't play as well, then you get opportunities to score more tries, but we don't know how the game is going to flow, or what level they’re going to be playing at. We expect a really tough game, in both games.”
A squad of 35 set out for Italy yesterday, and Townsend plans a degree of rotation between the two games. Hooker Pat MacArthur and flanker Ryan Wilson, for example, have been left out of tonight’s match squad because of injury, but have travelled and are expected to be fit to take on Zebre.
“We’re confident that they’re available,” Townsend added. “Everyone who’s going to Italy we expect to play in at least one of the games.
“Ryan picked up an injury on Tuesday. He was 50/50 this week and we preferred that he worked hard on his ankle injury to be ready to train on Monday. Pat should be good to train fully on Monday as well.
“We’ll certainly have to rest some guys during the two weeks. If you’ve worked out who is playing this week and who is not playing this week then some guys might get rested the following week. Tommy Seymour and Alex Dunbar, who played Six Nations, are not playing this weekend. Potentially there will be someone like Stuart Hogg maybe not playing the following weekend.”
Adam Ashe takes over from Wilson in the back row this evening, with Josh Strauss moving from No 8 to No 6. Simone Favaro, a former Treviso player, replaces the injured Chris Fusaro at openside. The other change to the pack from last week’s home win over Ulster sees Tim Swinson selected at lock instead of Leone Nakarawa, who is on the bench. In the backs, Taqele Naiyaravoro comes in on the right wing for Seymour, and Peter Horne replaces Dunbar at inside centre.
Besides MacArthur and Wilson, the list of players unavailable for tonight’s match due to injury includes Mike Blair, who has been out for some time with concussion. Townsend insisted, however, that the veteran scrum-half should still be able to play again this season. Meanwhile, Ben Whitehouse has replaced Nigel Owens as referee due to illness.
Glasgow Warriors (v Benetton Treviso, tomorrow, Stadio Monigo, kick-off 4.30pm British time, live on BBC Alba): S Hogg; T Naiyaravoro, M Bennett, P Horne, S Lamont; F Russell, H Pyrgos; G Reid, F Brown, S Puafisi, T Swinson, J Gray, J Strauss, S Favaro, A Ashe. Substitutes: J Malcolm, J Yanuyanutawa, D Rae, L Nakarawa, T Holmes, G Hart, G Bryce, L Jones.
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