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November 26, 2021

Glasgow team to take on Benetton

Posted by Editor on November 26, 2021 12:05 PM | No comments | Print | E-mail author

Sam Johnson will skipper Glasgow against Benetton
Danny Wilson has named his Glasgow team to take on Benetton in tomorrow's URC meeting in Treviso.

Sam Johnson will lead Glasgow Warriors out on to the field for the first time this weekend, after the centre was handed the captaincy for the clash at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo.

The Scotland star, who started in three of his country's recent Autumn Nations Series matches at BT Murrayfield, takes the reins in the absence of regular co-captains Ryan Wilson and Fraser Brown due to Barbarians duty and injury respectively.

Johnson leads a starting XV showing five changes from Glasgow's most recent United Rugby Championship clash, as Danny Wilson's men go in search of a valuable victory over their Scottish-Italian Shield counterparts.

Jamie Bhatti is the only member of the front-row to retain his place from the meeting with Leinster last month, as George Turner and Oli Kebble come back into the pack to make it an all-Scotland trio.

The second-row is unchanged, meaning Robert Harley and Richie Gray bring over two decades of accumulated professional experience to the engine room ahead of tomorrow's clash.

Matt Fagerson replaces Wilson in the back-row, joining Rory Darge and Jack Dempsey - who leads the URC in carries after five rounds with 64 - in an all-action triumvirate.

George Horne and Ross Thompson combine in the half-backs, the latter currently sitting fifth on the chart of the league's leading points scorers in the season to date.

The midfield partnership sees captain Johnson start alongside Sione Tuipulotu, with the newly-capped Scotland international having scored his first try in Glasgow colours on his last match on Italian soil.

Having combined for six tries between them in Scotland's 60-14 victory over Tonga last month, Kyle Steyn and Rufus McLean line up on the wings, with Cole Forbes completing the starting line-up at full-back.

Nathan McBeth is in line to become the seventh Warrior of the season to make his first appearance in Glasgow colours, after being named amongst the replacements by Wilson and his coaching team.

The 23-year-old joins Enrique Pieretto as the cover at prop, with Johnny Matthews wearing the number 16 shirt as the replacement hooker.

Kiran McDonald returns from an injury sustained against Newcastle Falcons in pre-season to be named in a matchday squad for the first time this season, whilst Thomas Gordon covers the back-row.

The youthful duo of Jamie Dobie and Ollie Smith are included amongst the replacement backs, as the experienced figure of Duncan Weir rounds out the matchday 23.

Head Coach, Danny Wilson, said: "We're looking forward to getting back to playing rugby this weekend.

"Benetton in Treviso is always a very tough fixture - as we found out last season. Their form this season has again been good and we know it will be a huge challenge to get an away win.

"After a good training week back together we look forward to the challenge of getting back to URC league rugby."

Glasgow Warriors

15 Cole Forbes

14 Kyle Steyn
13 Sione Tuipulotu
12 Sam Johnson (Captain)
11 Rufus McLean

10 Ross Thompson
9 George Horne

1 Jamie Bhatti
2 George Turner
3 Oli Kebble
4 Robert Harley
5 Richie Gray
6 Matt Fagerson
7 Rory Darge
8 Jack Dempsey

Substitutes

16 Johnny Matthews
17 Nathan McBeth
18 Enrique Pieretto
19 Kiran McDonald
20 Tom Gordon
21 Jamie Dobie
22 Duncan Weir
23 Ollie Smith

Unavailable for selection: Ewan Ashman, Simon Berghan, Fraser Brown, Scott Cummings, Peter Horne, Tom Lambert, Ewan McQuillin

International duty: Ryan Wilson (Barbarians)