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April 20, 2018

Ulster v Glasgow Warriors

Posted by Editor on April 20, 2018 10:11 PM | No comments | Print | E-mail author

Alex Dunbar is the Warrior to Watch
Disco looks ahead to Glasgow's visit to Belfast to take on Ulster in the penultimate game of the regular PRO14 season.

You can read Disco's thoughts on Glasgow's pursuit of the PRO14 title and European campaign as well as Scotland's international fortunes, at his excellent blog Top of the Moon.

KO 6.05 at Kingspan Stadium
Saturday 21st April 2018
Live on BBC2 Scotland

The equivalent fixture fell in the Six Nations window last season meaning much changed teams this time round. Just six of the Warriors' matchday 23 from last year return and only Alex Allan, Scott Cummings and Robert Harley were starters on the club's last trip to Belfast. Ulster have 10 players who featured in that previous encounter with Louis Ludik, Luke Marshall and Sean Reidy the men from the home side to start both games.

Ulster

15 Charles Piutau

14 Louis Ludik
13 Luke Marshall
12 Stuart McCloskey
11 Jacob Stockdale

10 Johnny McPhillips
9 John Cooney

1 Andrew Warwick
2 Rob Herring
3 Ross Kane
4 Alan O'Connor
5 Iain Henderson (Captain)
6 Nick Timoney
7 Sean Reidy
8 Jean Deysel

Substitutes

16 Rory Best
17 Kyle McCall
18 Tom O'Toole
19 Kieran Treadwell
20 Clive Ross
21 Paul Marshall
22 Angus Curtis
23 Tommy Bowe

Glasgow Warriors

15 Stuart Hogg

14 Tommy Seymour
13 Huw Jones
12 Alex Dunbar
11 Lelia Masaga

10 Finn Russell
9 Ali Price

1 Alex Allan
2 Fraser Brown
3 Siua Halanukonuka
4 Tim Swinson
5 Scott Cummings
6 Robert Harley
7 Callum Gibbins (Captain)
8 Matt Fagerson

Substitutes

16 George Turner
17 Ryan Grant
18 Zander Fagerson
19 Greg Peterson
20 Matt Smith
21 Henry Pyrgos
22 Peter Horne
23 Nick Grigg

Head to Head:
Back 3 - EVEN
Centres - ADV Glasgow
Half Backs - ADV Glasgow
Front Row - EVEN
Second Row - EVEN
Back Row - ADV Glasgow
Subs - ADV Ulster

Glasgow Greetings:
Ryan Grant features for the first time since the Ospreys game on 26th November. The last time Huw Jones pulled on the Warriors' shirt in anger was against Exeter just over 3 months ago.

Matchday Milestones:
When he comes off the bench Zander Fagerson will be playing the 50th PRO14 game of his career - at just 22 years of age!

Warriors One to Watch:
A very adaptable presence in the midfield, Alex Dunbar's ability to switch seamlessly between 12 and 13 has allowed Glasgow's other centre options to flourish. Whether he's playing outside a second distributor like Peter Horne or Sam Johnson or moving inside to allow the pace of Huw Jones or the cannonball stylings of Nick Grigg to have free reign Eck always makes a big contribution.

The former Selkirk man is the most likely to choose to carry the ball among the the Warriors' centres, taking that option 67% of the time. He'll generally win the hard yards and set up the phases (and quick ball) that Glasgow can really attack from. Alex is also the backline's defensive leader and with much of Ulster's strength in their midfield and back 3 he'll need to be on top of his game to contain the home side's firepower.

The Ulster v Glasgow fixture in the PRO12 era:
1 win
5 losses
1 losing bonus point
5 points out of a possible 30 (17%)

It may have been the venue for the greatest day in the club's history - the PRO12 Grand Final win in 2015 - but the Kingspan / Ravenhill has not been a happy hunting ground on regular league duty. Four out of six attempts have seen the Warriors return home completely empty-handed. No other away trip produced as few points in the PRO12 era.

Last season's match-up:

18 - Tackles attempted by Nick Grigg at inside centre. The Glasgow midfield was in danger of being overrun by an Ulster backline that had a surfeit of quick ball. Adding the powerful Stuart McCloskey to the mix means that the home side will not be any easier to deal with this time round.

54 - Combined number of defenders beaten (or tackles missed if you're a glass half empty sort!) by the two sides - 23 by Glasgow and 31 by Ulster. It certainly wasn't a game the defence coaches will look back on with any fondness but it was an entertaining contest for the neutral. Given the talent in both backlines this weekend's fixture has the potential to be a real humdinger.

62 - Percentage possession in the first half for Glasgow. In common with a number of the games played during the Test windows last season the team started out well, had plenty of ball and made plenty of ground. Equally though, like those other games, little inaccuracies stopped them from turning those positives into points and the Warriors will need to be much more efficient on Saturday evening.

Home and Away:
Ulster last 6 in the PRO14 (H) - L W W W L W
Glasgow last 6 in the PRO14 (A) - W L W D L L

Officials:
Referee: Stuart Berry (SARU, 12th competition game)
AR1: Nigel Cordell (IRFU)
AR2: Helen O'Reilly (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

This will be just the second outing for Mr Berry in a Warriors' match after taking charge of the game at Scotstoun against Leinster in November. The South African whistler hammered Glasgow a bit in the penalty count on that occasion - the 15 they conceded are the most so far this season. Mr Berry also yellow carded Scott Cummings and Alex Dunbar after the Warriors had managed to make it through the first 9 matches of the season without a single sin binning.

Mr Berry's rate of 19.8 penalties per game is slightly above the league average of 19.1.

Previous Matches with Ulster
Saturday November 25 2023
Glasgow Warriors 33 20 Ulster Match Report
Saturday October 7 2023
Ulster 19 14 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday February 17 2023
Glasgow Warriors 17 11 Ulster Match Report
Friday September 24 2021
Ulster 35 29 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday February 19 2021
Glasgow Warriors 13 19 Ulster Match Report
Monday November 9 2020
Ulster 40 15 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Saturday September 14 2019
Glasgow Warriors 36 33 Ulster Match Report
Saturday September 7 2019
Ulster 50 19 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday May 8 2020
Ulster P P Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday March 27 2020
Glasgow Warriors P P Ulster Match Report
Friday May 17 2019
Glasgow Warriors 50 20 Ulster Match Report
Friday April 5 2019
Glasgow Warriors 30 7 Ulster Match Report
Saturday April 21 2018
Ulster 36 15 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday March 2 2018
Ulster P P Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Saturday February 18 2017
Ulster 37 17 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday September 23 2016
Glasgow Warriors 17 22 Ulster Match Report
Friday March 25 2016
Glasgow Warriors 27 17 Ulster Match Report
Friday February 12 2016
Ulster 13 10 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday May 22 2015
Glasgow Warriors 16 14 Ulster Match Report
Saturday May 16 2015
Glasgow Warriors 32 10 Ulster Match Report
Saturday October 11 2014
Ulster 29 9 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday April 18 2014
Glasgow Warriors 27 9 Ulster Match Report
Friday September 13 2013
Ulster 12 13 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday February 22 2013
Glasgow Warriors 20 14 Ulster Match Report
Friday January 11 2013
Ulster 23 6 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday October 19 2012
Glasgow Warriors 8 19 Ulster Match Report
Friday August 31 2012
Ulster 18 10 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday November 25 2011
Glasgow Warriors 17 9 Ulster Match Report
Friday September 2 2011
Ulster 28 14 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday March 25 2011
Glasgow Warriors 19 22 Ulster Match Report
Friday October 1 2010
Ulster 19 17 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday April 16 2010
Glasgow Warriors 25 18 Ulster Match Report
Friday December 4 2009
Ulster 13 25 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday April 17 2009
Glasgow Warriors 19 20 Ulster Match Report
Saturday March 7 2009
Ulster 12 0 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Saturday May 3 2008
Ulster 24 35 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday November 2 2007
Glasgow Warriors 25 6 Ulster Match Report
Friday April 27 2007
Ulster 10 24 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Saturday January 6 2007
Glasgow Warriors 8 19 Ulster Match Report
Saturday April 15 2006
Glasgow Warriors 18 27 Ulster Match Report
Saturday January 7 2006
Ulster 25 23 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday March 4 2005
Ulster 30 3 Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Saturday October 16 2004
Glasgow Warriors 34 20 Ulster Match Report
Friday February 20 2004
Glasgow Warriors 27 25 Ulster Match Report
Friday November 14 2003
Glasgow Warriors 13 20 Ulster Match Report
Friday September 12 2003
Ulster 33 6 Glasgow Warriors Match Report