Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors Saturday 16th February

Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors
Cardiff Arms Park
Saturday 16th February 2019
KO 19.45

Live on Premier Sports


So after the first two rounds of the 6N, its back to the league for the long suffering fans of both these teams.

This will be the 4th meeting between them this season and it currently stands at 3-0 to Glasgow, with back to back wins in the Champs cup as well as a comfortable league win at Scotstoun earlier in the season.

Both sides will be missing a good chunk of their international players, so squad depth and how they will pick up after a mini break in the season will count for a lot. Both teams still have a lot to play for. Glasgow to get their season back on track after a bit of a slump when they managed to fall off the top of the league, having had a very comfortable cushion. They will want to get back to winning ways and try to top the conference with the incentive of a home final in Glasgow to play for this year. Blues form has been a bit patchy at times, but they have turned over some good teams and are still in the play off hunt themselves, so there is everything to play for.

I am going to have an initial guess at the Glasgow team, without knowing who might be released from the Scotland squad:

1. Kebble
2. Bryce
3. Fagerson Z - all indications are he will be back for this one
4. Cummings
5. Swinson
6. Harley
7. Fusaro
8. Ashe
9. Horne G - if fit could do with a run out
10. Hastings - he could do with some game time as well
11. Niko
12. McDowell
13. Grigg
14. Nairn
15. Jacko

Subs
Allen
Stewart
Nuke
McDonald
Tamilau
Frisbee
Thompson
Hughes

Paddy Kelly would be in the mix if Toonie keeps Grigg as centre cover for Jonesy and Thompson would start if he decides to hang onto Hastings. If Geoergie does not come back or is still not fit, then presumably Frisbee starts with Niko providing the cover.

All will be revealed!

Adam Hastings prominent in the photos of Glasgow training today. Looks a sure bet to be starting on Saturday.

The big question will be whether DR picks a 23 from the players who have been at Scotstoun this past fortnight, OR he picks players Toonie would like to see get a run out before the match in Paris. Certainly Arthur Ashe, Haircut Hastings and the Pocket Rocket should come into the latter category.


My guess?


1. Ollie K     Jinksy Allen

2. Stewart   Bryce


3. Nuke       BabyFace Fagerson, if he comes on for the last 30 he could be straight into the squad for Wlaes, if not France

4. Swinson  needs game time if injuries mean he may got the call for Paris

5. Cummings   Unless he starts backing up his "massive potential" with consistent performances his dream of a second row partnership with his old school pal Davidson may end up with him being supplanted by the aforementioned chum. Harley as sub.


6. Who is actually fit? probably Arthur Ashe.

7. Fozzie

8. Tamilau      Back row sub?  Thomas Gordon?

9. Probably the man with the 70's porn star moustache. Wee George if fit, could do with a run out.


10. Thompson     The Man With The Haircut will feature since Dancer can't play every minute off every 6 Nations match and young Hastings needs a run out.

11. At last good news   Niko loves scoring in Cardiff so let's start him.


12. McDowell.  Prior to starting in Paris and destroying anything that gets in his way.

13. Grigg. Prior to starting in Paris and ending the fantasy that a playing an overweight out of condition tight head wannabee at 13 is a bonne idee.    Paddy Kelly to sub, he'll love replacing Grigg; it can't be that often that the three quarters get bigger when he comes on

14. Nairn


15 Jacko, who will have to play a hell of a lot between now and the end of the season.


Can we win? WE ARE WARRIORS.

https://theoffsideline.com/glasgow-warriors-ryan-wilson/

Price, Hastings, Horne P and Harley all released back to Glasgow for this game.

Kenny Murray suggesting that the new signing, Steyn might be a part of it as well.

Either way, it looks as if we should be able to get a half decent team out.

They are hopefull of having Ryan Wilson back for the Saracens game as well.

Cardiff Blues back rowers Seb Davies and Josh Turnbull and outside-half Jarrod Evans will also be released to Cardiff Blues for their home game against Glasgow on Saturday.

Not so bad news for Cardiff, but seems like Glasgow will be a bit stronger on paper then.

Glasgow team:

Allan Turner Z. Fagerson
Swinson Cummings
Harley Gordon Ashe
Price Horne
McDowall Grigg
Hughes Jackson Steyn

Bench: Bryce Bhatti Nuke MacDonald Tameilau Frisbee Hastings Nairn

Injured: Flockhart (ankle), M. Fagerson (shoulder), Fusaro (neck), Gibbins (ankle/knee), Hogg (shoulder), Horne (shoulder), H. Jones (knee), L. Jones (knee), Kebble (illness), Kelly (shoulder), Niko (head), Smith (shoulder), DTH (shoulder) and Wilson (knee)

Scotland duty: Brown, Gray, Johnson, Seymour.

Considering lengthy list of absentees, that's a pretty solid team. Delighted to see Turner and Zanderson back, which is great news for Glasgow and for Scotland. Wonder if a decent showing from the latter will see him called up by Toonie (a big call given his long absence, but with Nel injured...).

Rather few players limited by Scotland duty. A serious injury list though. How many are back at the end of the Six Nations?

I could imagine Bhatti would have been held back if Kebble wasn't sick. Great news to see Fagerson and Turner back. Fagerson gets a real shot to take the bench spot if he can dominate the scrum. Don't think being great in the loose is enough to go on for the France game.

Hopefully Cardiff have a good team for this, want a good try-out for Scotland spots.

I will Just be happy with a Glasgow won.

We need it!

Cardiff Blues: Matthew Morgan; Owen Lane, Harri Millard, Rey Lee-Lo, Aled Summerhill; Jarrod Evans, Lloyd Williams; Rhys Gill, Kristian Dacey (capt.), Dmitri Arhip, Seb Davies, Rory Thornton, Josh Turnbull, Olly Robinson, Nick Williams

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Rhys Carré, Scott Andrews, Macauley Cook, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Dane Blacker, Dan Fish, Garyn Smith

That’s not too bad a Cardiff team.

Maybe not quite as strong a Glasgow team as hoped.

Good to get Zander and Turner back, they will add enourmously to our physicality up front, but we have lot a few more of our non Scottish players to injury and illness as well. Not having Kebble, Fusaro and Niko is a blow, we needed them at this time of year.

Still, as ever, someone else gets the chance. It will be good to see what Thomas Gordon and Kyle Steyn bring to the party. They have jumped Steyn straight in, ahead of Nairn, who benches, so they must see something in him.

It sound from DR interview that they have picked Horne at FH in order to keep McDowell in at 12. He has been one of our form players over the run of our recent poor games. It will be interesting to see who gets subbed off for Hastings to come on later in the game. He and Horne P look like they will be playing for the bench spot next weekend. Hard to see that he is planning to play Harley again either, or he would surely have been rested as well.

That’s a good Cardiff side, this might be a close game.

Well, time for the main game of the weekend!

Breathless start and Blues score after a good chip ahead

Glasgow spoon and absolute sitter!

Not a great pass from McDowell, but should have been taken

Glasgow score, a poor kick from Evans, who has played well so far and Jackson returns it and Grigg walks it in

10-7 Glasgow

and Ali Price runs in another one direct from a scrum on half way

17-7 Glasgow

and another one

The passes are really sticky tonight for Glasgow. Kyle Steyn a great pass off the deck and Horne goes over

24-7 Glasgow

Blues get a good try back, great outside break from Morgan

24-14 Glasgow

Glasgow should be out of sight. Top marks to the Blues for hanging on to their coat tails. it has been a breathless, high tempo game without either side running round with their hair on fire.

From a Glasgow perspective; I'm not convinced by the back row, Ashe hasn't caught my eye, Harley has but only by being run past on a couple of occasions. Grigg is electric. Horne is playing very well. Rhuaridh is doing a grand job at 15. Steyn has just missed scoring twice: each time he has been about a half a step out of place. You get the feeling that if he had been training with the others for a little longer he would have been in the right place.


Cardiff look dangerous going forward: in defence, not so intimidating.

I think Turner and Fagerson have made a big difference to our go forward, they are both really providing some punch!

Both will be back in the Scotland squad next week

Blues score in the corner. no conversion

24-19 Glasgow

It's remarkable how good modern rehab is given players can be out for months yet pretty much be completely up to speed when they return

Glasgow playing a bit silly now, no need to run everything out of their own 22

Zander off after 50 mins

Blues win a somewhat dubious scrum penalty and over it goes

24-22 Glasgow

Glasgow suddenly discover some form and get their BP try under the posts

George Turner just goes straight through the Blues, another try under the posts

Tamileu gets the score

38-22 Glasgow

Turner MoM for me

He gets subbed off with cramp

Not quite over yet, Blues get another one back

38-27 Glasgow

and Blues get another one, great run from Mathew Morgan

38-34 Glasgow

and the final score

38-34 Glasgow

What a fantastic game

and that just goes to show, for everyone banging on about it, you can get fantastic games during the 6N window. Some of the youngsters did their teams proud today.

4 from 4 against the Blues this season and they are no bad team, it is good stuff

Aah Not the worst game I've ever see. Mind you, I almost passed into a catatonic stupor during that last five minutes. Couldn't they have made an effort to entertain us?

It is just sheer madness the way we play sometimes, but I would not have it any other way!

Just watching the game - not the best of starts from Kyle Steyn...

jimbopip wrote:Aah Not the worst game I've ever see. Mind you, I almost passed into a catatonic stupor during that last five minutes. Couldn't they have made an effort to entertain us?

No change there then.

Morning Eejit, after the trauma of Friday (ambulance, all day at A&E with MrsPip, tests, more tests, then finally sent home with a reassurance that it's probably not too serious (this is a brief synopsis, we're pretty certain everything's ok), so after that the match itself was a welcome diversion and yes I was almost catatonic in the last five minutes despite Glasgow's best efforts to make it "competitive".


As ever this place is often a refuge from the realities of life.Have a nice day Eejit.

You are spending far to much time in hospitals at the moment Jim. Hope everything is ok

Ah Gee, wasn't me. As you know when someone suffers with recalcitrant gall stones, quite often it can be mistaken for a full on cardiac episode. Well MrsPip was seriously in pain on Friday from the early hours. Relief all round by the close of play.

Good to hear
Best wishes to Mrs Pip

Gosh that sounds awful. All the best mate.

Thanks Eejit. Now here's something that is truly awful: I'm hearing that Finn Russell has scored a try today and then had an HIA, rumour is that he's out for next week.

I see Julian Savea has just been released by Toulon, I'd take him at Glasgow til the end of the season

123456789. wrote:I see Julian Savea has just been released by Toulon, I'd take him at Glasgow til the end of the season

Why? we've already got Rory Hughes.
BTW, as they say, Rozza deserves cult status (if not a medal for bravery) for bollocking young Mr McDowell when he fluffed a kick through when Rozza was in space. Furra Linee was very quick to act the peacemaker.

jimbopip wrote:

123456789. wrote:I see Julian Savea has just been released by Toulon, I'd take him at Glasgow til the end of the season

Why? we've already got Rory Hughes.
BTW, as they say, Rozza deserves cult status (if not a medal for bravery) for bollocking young Mr McDowell when he fluffed a kick through when Rozza was in space. Furra Linee was very quick to act the peacemaker.

That was about McDowell's only mistake during the game, he otherwise played well.