Glasgow Warriors' 'real concern' ahead of facing Bulls amid hooker change and facing 11 Springboks
Enforced switch at hooker is only change to starting XV
George Horne’s “brilliant competitiveness” will be available to Glasgow Warriors in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship semi-final after he was passed fit to face the Bulls at Murrayfield.
It’s a huge boost for Franco Smith’s side and the head coach believes the influential scrum-half can bring the best out of his team-mates as they seek to reach the final of the competition they won in 2024 by beating the Bulls in the final.
Horne suffered bruising to his hand during last Friday’s quarter-final win over Connacht and there were concerns about his fitness at the start of the week but he has been named in the starting side to play the South African visitors in Edinburgh.
Glasgow are also able to call upon the services of Jamie Dobie for the first time in almost five months. Dobie, who can play scrum-half or wing, has been named on the bench after recovering from a serious shoulder injury and will provide cover for Horne.
Insurance policy on the bench
“George's hand was a real concern at the start of the week and I'm just thankful that he's progressed so well,” said Smith. “And it's good to have Dobie ready. We're excited to have them available, they'll bring a lot of energy.”
Horne’s qualities extend beyond his abilities at the base of the scrum and his excellent goalkicking. He has an infectious dynamism which tends to rub off on the other Glasgow players.
“I think George is unique and he's a brilliant competitor and he gets the best out of everybody around him,” said Smith. “Therefore, his contribution is massive and he's so influential from that aspect. I hope that the fact that he's available is a very important ingredient for us.”
Whether he is fit enough to last the full game remains to be seen but Dobie offers Smith the chance to replace one Test match scrum-half with another. The coach has also taken out the insurance policy of having another frontline goalkicker on the bench in Adam Hastings, who replaces Ollie Smith as back-up fly-half.
“Ollie has been brilliant for us and I think last week [against Connacht] we were always going to go after every try-scoring opportunity. With George's hand, to have another specialised kicker on the bench is maybe an important ingredient.
“Obviously, Adam is a world-class player and I think he will contribute when he gets a chance.”
It will be Dobie’s first outing since injuring his shoulder in Scotland’s Calcutta Cup win over England on February 14. He has not played for Glasgow since the Champions Cup win over Clermont on January 10.
Injured hooker
Smith has selected the same backline for the fourth game in a row but has been forced into one change in the pack, with hooker Johnny Matthews dropping out. His absence means Gregor Hiddleston is promoted to the starting team, with Seb Stephen coming onto the bench.
“Johnny's been carrying a little quad strain,” said Smith. “It is obviously a concern but Seb has been playing really, really well the whole season. Johnny was in form in the last two weeks, therefore Seb wasn't picked. But I think Seb is more than ready to take the battle on, especially I think Seb's set-piece is good and we expect obviously the Bulls to come in that part of the game hard.”
11 Boks in Bulls team
The Bulls, who have lost twice to Glasgow at Scotstoun this season, have selected a very strong team for Murrayfield, with 11 Springboks in their starting XV and another five on the bench. Their backline looks particularly potent, with Embrose Papier and Handré Pollard at halfback and Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse providing plenty of threat in attack.
The Bulls have reached three of the last four URC finals but have never won the competition. They changed coaches last summer, with Johan Ackermann taking over from Jake White, and the former Boks lock said he was looking forward to seeing his side play “at an iconic venue like Murrayfield”.
“It will be an amazing day,” he said. “It’s a good challenge and one we look forward to, a game of small margins, I suspect.”
Murrayfield teams for URC semi-final (Saturday, 2.30pm)
Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay; Kyle Steyn (capt), Stafford McDowall, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Rowe; Dan Lancaster, George Horne; Patrick Schickerling, Gregor Hiddleston, Zander Fagerson, Scott Cummings, Alex Samuel, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey. Replacements: Seb Stephen, Rory Sutherland, Sam Talakai, Jare Oguntibeju, Euan Ferrie, Sione Vailanu, Jamie Dobie, Adam Hastings.
Vodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs; Handre Pollard, Embrose Papier; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee (capt), Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom. Replacements: Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Jeandre Rudolph, Zak Burger, Stedman Gans, Nizaam Carr.
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU).
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