Glasgow Warriors | Glasgow team for Euro opener
Share

Next article
Previous article
Got an opinion?
Discuss this article in the comments section or register with the glasgowwarriors.com forum.

Search this site

November 13, 2015

Glasgow team for Euro opener

Posted by Editor on November 13, 2015 11:34 AM | No comments | Print | E-mail author

Simone Favaro stars at openside
Gregor Townsend has named his Glasgow team for tomorrow's European Rugby Champions Cup match against Racing 92 in Paris.

Stuart Hogg retains his place at full-back, while Tommy Seymour switches to the right wing, with Sean Lamont coming in on the opposite side to replace Taqele Naiyaravoro, who has been named amongst the replacements.

Scotland internationals Mark Bennett and Peter Horne continue their centre partnership.

It's the same half-back pairing which finished last weekend’s game in Cardiff, with Finn Russell and Mike Blair combining.

The only change in the front-row sees Ryan Grant coming in for Gordon Reid at loose-head, with Tongan international Sila Puafisi continuing at tight-head and Pat MacArthur once again named at hooker.

After both scoring tries in the win over Cardiff Blues last Saturday, Leone Nakarawa and Jonny Gray are once again in the Warriors engine room.

In the back-row Robert Harley comes in at blind-side flanker, with Josh Strauss switching to Number 8 and Simone Favaro returning at open-side in place of Chris Fusaro.

New signing Shalva Mamukashvili could make his debut from the bench, while Scotland second-row Tim Swinson returns from injury and has also been named amongst the replacements.

Head coach Gregor Townsend told glasgowwarriors.org: "The European Rugby Champions Cup is the biggest club tournament in the world and there has been a real buzz around the club this week as we prepare to begin our campaign in Paris tomorrow.

"You've got to play close to your best rugby for all of the six pool games to have a chance of progressing to the knockout stages, because the quality of the opposition is very high.

"We've never played Racing 92 before, so it'll be a good test against a highly ambitious team. They have put together a strong squad with a lot of internationals, so we're well aware of the challenge we face tomorrow."

Glasgow Warriors

15 Stuart Hogg

14 Tommy Seymour
13 Mark Bennett
12 Peter Horne
11 Sean Lamont

10 Finn Russell
9 Mike Blair

1 Ryan Grant
2 Pat MacArthur
3 Sila Puafisi
4 Leone Nakarawa
5 Jonny Gray
6 Robert Harley
7 Simone Favaro
8 Josh Strauss

Substitutes

16 Shalva Manukashvili
17 Gordon Reid
18 Zander Fagerson
19 Tim Swinson
20 Ryan Wilson
21 Grayson Hart
22 Richie Vernon
23 Taqele Naiyaravoro

Not available due to injury: Fraser Brown (foot), Glenn Bryce (ankle), Kevin Bryce (shoulder), Michael Cusack (thigh), Alex Dunbar (sternum), Tyrone Holmes (calf), Kieran Low (concussion), Peter Murchie (elbow), Henry Pyrgos (wrist) and Fergus Scott (shoulder)