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Three Scotland internationals, including a Lion, return for Glasgow
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Glasgow have received a triple boost with the return of Scotland trio Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge for Friday’s opening United Rugby Championship quarter-final against Connacht at Scotstoun.
Lock Cummings has not played since suffering a calf injury in Scotland’s penultimate Six Nations match against France in early March.
The British & Irish Lions tourist takes over in the second row from Gregor Brown, who also sustained a calf injury early into his comeback in the win over Ulster in Belfast a fortnight ago.
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It will be Cummings’ first game for Warriors since late January.
“We are pleased to welcome Scott back into our matchday 23 after his injury lay-off – he has worked hard and worked closely with our medical and S&C teams to put himself in the best possible position ahead of his return,” said Glasgow head coach Franco Smith.
Fagerson was a late withdrawal from the Ulster game with a groin issue but returns in tandem with Darge – who suffered a rib injury against Cardiff three weeks ago – in Warriors’ first-choice back row alongside Jack Dempsey at No.8.
The other change to the pack sees Patrick Schickerling start at loosehead prop in place of Nathan McBeth, with Johnny Matthews retaining the No.2 jersey and Gregor Hiddleston starting on the bench.
The backline remains unchanged from the 26-22 victory in Belfast, meaning Dan Lancaster will start at fly-half, despite Adam Hastings being available again after a two-match ban, as Warriors take on a Connacht side coached by Lancaster’s father Stuart.
There is no place for Montpellier-bound Hastings in the 23, with the versatile Ollie Smith providing backline cover.
Glasgow finished top of the table in the regular URC season, winning all nine of their home league games. Their only defeat in 13 matches overall at Scotstoun this term came against Toulon in the European Champions Cup quarter-finals last month.
That was only the fifth home defeat Warriors have suffered in four seasons since Franco Smith took charge in the summer of 2022.
They ended his first campaign with a home URC quarter-final play-off defeat by Munster, before going on to win the title in stunning fashion in 2023-24 by beating Bulls in Pretoria in the final. Last season they were beaten in the semi-finals by eventual champions Leinster in Dublin, one of 15 previous knockout games Glasgow have played under Smith.
Connacht have reached the URC play-offs for a second time since the introduction of the major South African teams, having won at Ulster in the quarter-finals in 2022-23 before losing a home semi-final to Stormers. They head to Scotstoun in prime form having won eight of their last nine league games since late January, including four out of five on the road.
“Connacht will present a strong challenge tomorrow evening,” Smith added. “They have a well-drilled squad full of talent and come here as one of the most in-form teams in the competition.”
Glasgow XV: J McKay, K Steyn, S McDowall, S Tuipulotu, K Rowe; D Lancaster, G Horne; P Schickerling, J Matthews, Z Fagerson, S Cummings, A Samuel, M Fagerson, R Darge, J Dempsey.
Replacements: G Hiddleston, R Sutherland, S Talakai, J Oguntibeju, E Ferrie, S Vailanu, J Oliver, O Smith.
