Glasgow Warriors have new 'flock' as massively influential player returns

Glasgow are looking to reclaim top spot in the United Rugby Championship and are also boosted by the return of back-rowers Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge as the campaign comes to the boil.

Back-to-back defeats in South Africa saw Franco Smith’s side knocked off the summit and they are now a point behind the Stormers in second place. The Cape Town franchise are in Europe for their final two league games and face a tricky match against Ulster in Belfast at the same time as Glasgow are taking on Cardiff at Scotstoun.

Home advantage in the play-off quarter-finals is the prize for those finishing in the top four and it’s all to play for over the next two weekends, with only nine points separating the top eight.

A massively influential player

The availability of Horne, Matt Fagerson and Darge should reenergise Glasgow after a tough tour and a Champions Cup exit at the hands of Toulon. Horne injured his ankle against the Bulls last month and, with Jamie Dobie also sidelined, the Warriors had to turn to young scrum-halves Ben Afshar and Jack Oliver. Both stepped up but there is no denying that the return of the talismanic Horne is a big boost.

“He is a massively influential player for us, we all know that,” said Smith. “Both Ben and Jack took the baton up in an important part of the season. After all the rugby that George and Jamie Dobie would have played up to then, we were looking to use the young boys in South Africa to give them exposure. What an experience for them it must have been.”

The coach said it would be “good to have some fresh faces” against Cardiff but there is also a new role for an old head. Ally Miller, the experienced flanker, will start in the second row for the club for the first time, partnering Alex Samuel. Smith likes his players to be versatile and Miller becomes the latest ‘flock’, the coach’s word for flanker/lock hybrids.

“He is a very detailed rugby player and a very good rugby player,” said Smith. “He offers us another lineout option.”

Extra emotion for those leaving

Glasgow are five points ahead of sixth-placed Cardiff who are looking to break into the top four, and depending how results pan out in the final two rounds, this could be the Warriors’ final home game of the season. So the game holds extra significance for the likes of Jack Dempsey, Johnny Matthews, Jamie Bhatti and Sione Vailanu who will all leave the club at the end of the season, along with the suspended Adam Hastings and Huw Jones, who is not in match-day 23.

“I do feel that's going to be important for us,” said Smith. “Of course, we love each other. I just said to the players now in our last meeting here that we care so much about each other. It's not as rugby players, it's as people. We go through hardship together.

“It means a lot to the boys to send these players off and to play with their hearts on their sleeves.”

Bhatti and Matthews will both start in the front row for Glasgow, with Patrick Schickerling and Gregor Hiddleston dropping to the bench. Matt Fagerson replaces Euan Ferrie at six after recovering from a hamstring issue and Darge returns after missing the South Africa tour while his partner was in labour.

How they’ll line up at Scotstoun

Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Rugby, URC round 17, Scotstoun, Friday, 7.45pm.

Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay; Kyle Steyn (c), Stafford McDowall, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Rowe; Dan Lancaster, George Horne; Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson, Ally Miller, Alex Samuel, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey. Replacements: Gregor Hiddleston, Patrick Schickerling, Sam Talakai, Jare Oguntibeju, Macenzzie Duncan, Sione Vailanu, Ben Afshar, Ollie Smith.

Cardiff Rugby: Cam Winnett; Jacob Beetham, Josh Adams, Ben Thomas, Tom Bowen; Callum Sheedy, Johan Mulder; Rhys Barratt, Liam Belcher (c), Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Rory Thornton, James Botham, Dan Thomas, Taine Basham. Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Danny Southworth, Sam Wainwright, George Nott, Alun Lawrence, Ellis Bevan, Rory Jennings, Ioan Lloyd.

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU).