Preview: Glasgow v Dragons
Glasgow's road to the Magners League final continues when they face the Dragons at Firhill on Easter Sunday.
Glasgow's road to the Magners League final continues when they face the Dragons at Firhill on Easter Sunday.
Glasgow Warriors head coach Sean Lineen has made six changes to the team that faced Munster last weekend for the first of three home ties in an action packed April.
Two of the changes to this week's starting XV are enforced as Scotland captain Chris Cusiter is sidelined with a calf strain whilst Jon Welsh's season is all but over having suffered a stress injury to his right leg.
As a result, Mark McMillan will start at scrum-half and Kevin Tkachuk will replace Welsh at loosehead prop.
In the pack, Fergus Thomson starts in front of Dougie Hall at hooker whilst captain Alastair Kellock returns from resting a shoulder niggle. Kellock will lead the side from the second row where he partners Tim Barker.
In the back division, Colin Shaw is given the nod on the right wing in place of Peter Murchie following his return from Sevens duty on the IRB Sevens World Series in Adelaide.
“It's obviously a massive game for both teams and I'd like to see a big crowd along to help us on,” said Lineen.
“We enjoy playing against the Dragons and there is a healthy rivalry between the two teams.
“They are the form team in the league at the moment. They're winning games and play with a real energy all over the park. It's always a difficult game for us and they will pose a great test.”
More to follow…
Form: Glasgow are without a win in their last five matches in all competitions, since their 29-25 victory over the Dragons in the Heineken Cup at Firhill on January 15. The Dragons have lost just one of their last four games in the Magners League: 3-16 at Connacht on St Patrick's Day. The Dragons' only away victory in the Magners League this season also came in Scotland when they beat Edinburgh 9-8 at Murrayfield in Round Seven. The two teams have already met three times this season with the Dragons winning twice at Rodney Parade in the Magners League and Heineken Cup, and the Warriors victorious 29-25 at Firhill Stadium in the same tournament on January 15. The Dragons have a superb record on Glasgow turf in the Magners League, being defeated only once in six previous visits.
The teams:
Glasgow: 15 Bernardo Stortoni, 14 Colin Shaw, 13 Max Evans, 12 Graeme Morrison, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Mark McMillan, 8 Johnnie Beattie, 7 John Barclay, 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Alastair Kellock (c), 4 Tim Barker, 3 Moray Low, 2 Fergus Thomson, 1 Kevin Tkachuk.
Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Ed Kalman, 18 Dan Turner, 19 Richie Vernon, 20 Colin Gregor, 21 Ruaridh Jackson, 22 Hefin O'Hare.
Dragons: tbc
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland).
Assistant Referees: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland), Alan Forrest (Scotland).
TMO: Jim Yuille (Scotland).