WITH Finn Russell, Henry Pyrgos and Mark Bennett all restored after rest or recovery from injury, there is a reassuringly familiar look to the Glasgow line-up for this evening’s PRO12 match against Ulster. There is nothing reassuring for Warriors fans, however, about the opposition, who come into the game at Scotstoun with three wins from three games.
Before the season kicked off, Gregor Townsend insisted that the fixture list could hardly have given his team a tougher start, and events have borne him out. True, Connacht, who the Warriors beat in their opening game, are not half the team they were, but since then Glasgow have had to face Leinster and Cardiff and now Ulster: Leinster had won their only game before losing at Scotstoun, Cardiff beat Townsend’s team last weekend to continue their 100 per cent record, and Ulster lie second after wins over Scarlets, Treviso and the Dragons.
“Ulster are a top-class side,” Townsend said yesterday after announcing his team. “They have recruited pretty well. They’ve always been one of the best teams in the competition and are three from three.
“The start of the season was going to be tough, and we’re playing top teams who have been in form as well. Ulster have won at Scotstoun in Europe, but never in the league - that’s a record we don’t want to lose.”
While the size of the Warriors squad means they can cope with most eventualities, their resources are undeniably being stretched because of the current injury list. Russell’s return to action, for instance, has coincided with an enforced lay-off for Peter Horne, who fractured a hand against Cardiff and will be out for around six weeks. His absence means that full-back Stuart Hogg will be the back-up stand-off this evening, with Tommy Seymour ready to cover the last line of defence.
“Stuart has always had that ability to play 10,” Townsend said. “We want him popping up at first or second receiver - anywhere he can get his hands on the ball.
“He knows the calls, he knows who to hit, but he’s obviously a very good full-back. The opportunities he gets from full-back to run are probably higher than he gets at 10, but to have him there is a bonus..
“Peter will rehab like no other player and he’ll be back as quickly as possible, but we know that he'll have to get that bone fixed. So it's disappointing for him and us, but he was probably due a rest over the next couple of weeks, it's just disappointing that it’s going to be a longer rest.”
If the front and middle rows are as familiar as those star names in the back division, the same could not be said of the back row or some of the replacements. Tjiuee Uanivi, signed primarily as a replacement at lock for Leone Nakarawa, slots in at blindside, with academy player Lewis Wynne at No 7 alongside the more known quantity that is Ryan Wilson at No 8.
Two more academy players are on the bench - Sam Thomson and Matt Fagerson, who is the younger brother of tighthead prop Zander Fagerson. “He lived with me for two weeks when he first moved through here and I nearly killed him,” Zander joked yesterday when asked about his 18-year-old sibling.
“No, me and Matt are very competitive, and so is our dad. I’m a few years older than him and he always felt he had to do something extra, or made a few niggly comments to try to keep up.
“I’m absolutely buzzing for him. It’s awesome to see him do really well and take his opportunity. I saw him play against Canada A and it was pretty awesome seeing him in a Glasgow Warriors shirt.”
With back-row Adam Ashe expected to be out for the rest of the year following hip surgery, Townsend is close to securing reinforcements for that area of the team in the shape of Langilangi Haupeakui, a United States international. Haupeakui still needs to secure a work permit, but the coach sounded confident that it will be forthcoming.
“We have had contact, and it might be something we can announce after today or tomorrow,” added Townsend, who welcomed tennis player Jamie Murray to Scotstoun for a look at training then a question-and-answer session with the squad.
“There are protocols to get a certain type of visa: playing for a national team allows a player to get a Tier 2 visa, playing off the bench for a national team means you can apply for a Tier 5 or appeal for a Tier 2. We believe that if he [Haupeakui] wanted to join a club in the UK he'd be okay.”
Glasgow (v Ulster at Scotstoun, tonight, 7.35pm, live on BBC 2): S Hogg; L Sarto, M Bennett, A Dunbar, T Seymour; F Russell, H Pyrgos; G Reid, F Brown, Z Fagerson, G Peterson, J Gray, T Uanivi, L Wynne, R Wilson. Substitutes: P MacArthur, A Allan, S Puafisi, S Thomson, M Fagerson, A Price, N Grigg, R Hughes.
Ulster: J Payne; L Ludik, D Cave, S McCloskey, C Piutau; P Jackson, R Pienaar;
A Warwick, R Herring, R Ah You, A O'Connor, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, S Reidy, R Wilson.. Substitutes: R Best, C Black, R Kane, P Browne, C Ross, P Marshall, S Olding, R Lyttle.
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