Photo: Sportsfile/Getty

United Rugby Championship: Glasgow Warriors vs Sharks preview

Glasgow Warriors vs Sharks: Sean Everitt’s side visit Scotstoun Stadium for the first time in round two of the United Rugby Championship.

by James Richardson

02-10-2021 12:05

in Rugby

Photo: Sportsfile/Getty

Glasgow Warriors vs Sharks: Sean Everitt’s side visit Scotstoun Stadium for the first time in round two of the United Rugby Championship.

Glasgow Warriors vs Sharks: Preview

The Sharks will be the first South African team to play a URC game on a 4G artificial surface as they travel to Scotland to face the Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday.

Hard-running wing Yaw Penxe knows what to expect as he played on the 4G surface before with the Southern Kings in the PRO14, and he said that the Durbanites can expect a different experience in Glasgow, with the artificial surface likely to produce a quicker game.

“The ball does travel quite a bit faster, and if it goes to ground won’t stick like on grass,” said Penxe.

“Us as players will have to run a bit more and the game will be a bit faster as well. The ball really races when you let it bounce.”

Sharks defence coach John McFarland will have his work cut out for him this weekend against the Scots, who like to play an attacking brand of rugby.

“The two Scottish teams will bring a style that will be distinctively different from what we will experience playing against the other teams as they have been influenced by Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, who was of course attack coach of the British & Irish Lions,” said McFarland, a former Bok assistant coach.

Glasgow will sport all-new front-row that takes to the field for kick-off tomorrow afternoon, as club co-captain Fraser Brown packs down between Jamie Bhatti and Murray McCallum at the coal face. Ross Thompson makes his first competitive start in front of the Warrior Nation after being selected at fly-half, with George Horne partnering the young pivot in the half-backs.

Teams: Glasgow Warriors vs Sharks

Glasgow Warriors

15 Cole Forbes, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Sione Tuipolotu, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Rufus McLean, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Thomas Gordon, 6 Ryan Wilson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Murray McCallum, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Jamie Bhatti

Substitutes: 16 George Turner, 17 Brad Thyer, 18 Murphy Walker, 19 Lewis Bean, 20 Ally Miller, 21 Jamie Dobie, 22 Pete Horne, 23 Stafford McDowall.

Sharks

15 Curwin Bosch, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Werner Kok, 12 Murray Koster, 11 Thaakir Abrahams, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi (captain), 7 Gerbrandt Grobler, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Le Roux Roets, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Khwezi Mona

Substitutes: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Thembelani Bholi, 21 James Venter, 22 Tian Meyer, 23 Jeremy Ward.