mens
United-rugby-championship
Glasgow The Warriors picked a strong team with 11 Scotland international for their opening United Rugby Championship against Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday.
Hooker Gregor Hiddleston, who won his first three Tests to open the Scots Nations Championship games in July, he starts in the front row alongside the stalwart Murphy Walker, with Gregor Brown and Max Williamson in line.
Rory Darge and Matt Fagerson are in the back row, with the latter returning from the blind spot to his former No.8 role following Jack Dempsey’s departure to Japan.
The back three consists of Kyle Rowe and Jamie Dobie – making his 100th appearance for the Warriors – on the wings, along with soon-to-be-Scotland full-back Josh McKay, with captain Stafford McDowell and Ollie Smith partnering at center and George Horn starting at fly-half alongside Dan Lancaster.
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu, whose game time is being managed in the new campaign, will not feature in Limerick, while Glasgow captain Kyle Steyn (leg), props Zander Fagerson (knee) and Rory Sutherland (calf) and lock Alex Samuel (knee) are among a dozen players currently nursing.
But experienced lock Scott Cummings will feature from the bench, with Australian fullback Bayley Kuenzle set to make his competitive debut in Glasgow following his arrival from Western Force and academy scrum-half Callum Reidy could also make his Warriors bow out.
“They both worked hard over the summer to get themselves in this position and they deserve their opportunity,” Warriors head coach Franco Smith said ahead of his fifth season in charge, after seeing his team top the URC table last season only to fall at the semi-final stage. Bulls in the playoffs.
“The whole team is looking forward to the start of the new BKT URC season this weekend as we travel to one of the toughest places in the competition to kick off our campaign,” he added.
“Everyone at the club is proud to see Jamie (Dobie) deliver a century – he’s someone who really cares about being a warrior and gives his all every time he steps on the pitch.”
Glasgow team v Munster: 15 J McKay, 14 K Rowe, 13 O Smith, 12 S McDowall (cap), 11 J Dobie, 10 D Lancaster, 9 G Horne; 1 P Schickerling, 2 G Hiddleston, 3 M Walker, 4 G Brown, 5 M Williamson, 6 A Miller, 7 R Darge, 8 M Fagerson.
Replacements: 16 S Stephen, 17 N McBeth, 18 S Talakai, 19 S Cummings, 20 A Fraser, 21 M Duncan, 22 C Reidy, 23 B Kuenzle.
