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Franco Smith makes 7 changes to Glasgow line-up for visit of Zebre

By PA
Adam Hastings of Gloucester arrives at the stadium prior to the EPCR Challenge Cup Final match between Gloucester Rugby and Hollywoodbets Sharks at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 24, 2024 in London, England.(Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)

Franco Smith has continued rotating his Glasgow side for Friday’s visit of Zebre as he bids to ensure his squad is primed for their upcoming trip to South Africa.

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The Warriors coach has made seven changes to the XV that started last weekend’s United Rugby Championship victory away to Cardiff, with Scotland internationals Sione Tuipulotu, Rory Sutherland and Matt Fagerson among those to miss out.

Smith is keen to ensure as many of his players as possible have game time under their belts ahead of their formidable South African double-header against Sharks and Stormers.

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    “Obviously, it’s important to have a good performance against Zebre to take some continuity (to South Africa),” Smith said. “We’ve made enough changes, 14 in the first game against Ulster that didn’t play in the warm-up games, then it was six changes against Benetton, and then nine last week, and there’s seven this week.

    “It’s important to get the whole squad some minutes under their belt and get them best prepared so that we take a team that’s rugby ready on a difficult tour.”

    Fixture
    United Rugby Championship
    Glasgow
    33 - 3
    Full-time
    Zebre
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    It was announced last week that Richie Gray will be leaving the club in November to head abroad but he has not been selected for tomorrow’s match, meaning the recent Benetton game – played before news of his departure became public – will go down as his last at home for Glasgow.

    “He’s a big man, older guy, needs to be managed as well,” said Smith of his absence this weekend. “He knew already that the game against Benetton was his last game at Scotstoun, but he will be touring with us to South Africa.”

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    Captain Kyle Steyn misses out with a foot injury but Smith expects him to be fit to go to South Africa. The head coach hopes to see his defending champions make it three wins from four URC matches this weekend.

    “It’s a good start, but a lot of our processes are not functioning as good as they should be yet,” said Smith. “We’ve got to just focus and concentrate on what we need to get right from a process perspective. The win is important, but for us to continue winning, we need to get better at what we do.”

    Glasgow Warriors: Kyle Rowe, Jamie Dobie, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall (CAPT), Facundo Cordero, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson, Gregor Brown, Scott Cummings, Euan Ferrie, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey

    Replacements: Grant Stewart, Nathan McBeth, Patrick Schickerling, Alex Samuel, Max Williamson, Henco Venter, Ben Afshar, Tom Jordan

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    Zebre Parma: Geronimo Prisciantelli, Jacopo Trulla, Fetuli Paea, Scott Gregory, Simone Gesi, Giacomo Da Re, Gonzalo Garcia, Danilo Fischetti (CAPT), Giampietro Ribaldi, Matteo Nocera, Leonard Krumov, Andrea Zambonin, Giacomo Ferrari, Luca Andreani, Giovanni Licata

    Replacements: Luca Bigi, Samuele Taddei, Ion Neculai, Matteo Canali, Iacopo Bianchi, Alessandro Fusco, Damiano Mazza, Ben Cambriani

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    I
    IkeaBoy 4 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

    Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


    “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

    Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

    So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


    “I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

    I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

    Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


    “I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

    So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


    “lol u really need to chill out”

    Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

    171 Go to comments
    f
    fl 4 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

    Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


    “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

    Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


    To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


    I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


    I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


    I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


    “Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

    lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

    171 Go to comments
    I
    IkeaBoy 5 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


    His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


    How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


    Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


    His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


    Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


    Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


    Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

    171 Go to comments
    LONG READ
    LONG READ No definites, but which Wales players could still make Lions squad? No definites, but which Wales players could still make Lions squad?
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