The Glasgow Carpet Burns and Cary Grant Appreciation Thread - Slimmer than ever before!

[Cameo]

Yet another impressive win. Highlight was Huw Jones's return. Easy to forget quite how much Glasgow and Scotland miss him.

BP win against Saracens (no easy feat) and they will be one of the top 2 seeds, meaning they play at home until the final (if they keep winning).

[Cameo]

Yet another impressive win. Highlight was Huw Jones's return. Easy to forget quite how much Glasgow and Scotland miss him.

BP win against Saracens (no easy feat) and they will be one of the top 2 seeds, meaning they play at home until the final (if they keep winning).

[Mikey Brown]

Great to see Jones back and looking lively.

Lancaster pretty solid too. Not that it came to much, but he’s not scared of throwing a long ball over the top is he.

[BaldiePete]

It was a statement win for Glasgow. Jones was class. Was this his first match since the Lions tour?

[Cameo]

It was a statement win for Glasgow. Jones was class. Was this his first match since the Lions tour?

Yep - different class. I don't know if I've ever seen anyone better than him at picking a line.

[septic 9]

Well that was fun. Smashing wee stadium. Actually capacity is over 19000 but all seems so near the pitch.
Not coasting first half but very much in control. Then the double yellow - obviously we had squeaky bums but tbh never looked like losing. We had another gear back at 15 and just absorbed pressure

[Cameo]

Meant to ask on here - what happened with Luke Pearrce and the "you have to let him up call"?

For those who weren't watching:

- Dobie put in a grubber
- the Clermont full back got across, dived on it, and scrambled on the floor a little til he was on his 5m line
- Dobie and Steyn stayed on their feet and were straight over the ball
- Luke Pearce didn't dispute any of that but penalised Glasgow and said "you have to let him up or let him place the ball"
- He then gave various varieties of this explanation at the next few stoppages to clearly confused Glasgow players

My understanding is that what you cannot do is dive on the player on the floor but, as long as you are on your feet, you can compete for the ball (until there's a ruck).

Have I missed something or was it jist a mindblank from Pearce? If so, no need to punish him or anything but I think it would be worth them clarifying. It clearly confused the Glasgow players and will have confuses plenty watching.

[septic 9]

How Jones to Toulon next season

[Mikey Brown]

Ah. Shame, but feels sort of inevitable he'd get poached by a big French team eventually. Can't really blame him.

[BaldiePete]

Ah. Shame, but feels sort of inevitable he'd get poached by a big French team eventually. Can't really blame him.

When he first left Glasgow I think he was going to Bayonne but they got relegated and he had an option to not transfer if that happened. That’s how he ended up at Quins. No worries about that if he’s going to Toulon.

[Mikey Brown]

What a comprehensive beating they just gave Saracens. Great to see.

[paddy no 11]

Leinster in a semi final likely

[Cameo]

Again, very impressive. They actually looked a bit blunt in that second half and will have been frustrated with a few errors, but the defence was just relentless. Time after time Sarries went through multiple phases and just didn't make any ground.

I think Dempsey is playing the best I have seen him.

Given the choice now, I would probably sacrifice a win (of a game, not the whole thing) in return for Glasgow winning three knockout games at home and getting to the final.

[septic 9]

dominated and bullied Sarries first half. Set piece a joy to watch. 2nd half as you would expect from a top side, they came back but Glasgow defence absurdly good. Segun was their only real threat

Warriors now have a really tough programme. Many of these players will be rested next week away to Zebre. week after at home to Munster - but with the 6N the following week, will Warriors have access to everyone or will some be held back (eg Zander). Then play Connacht away mid 6N, likely to be missing many to Scotland, Connacht might be missing a couple at most to Ireland. Finally Leinster week after 6N, most if not all Scotland players will be rested. Then one home game v Benneton before the HC R16 v Bulls

Small squad will be severely tested, price of a small bit of success

[Cameo]

dominated and bullied Sarries first half. Set piece a joy to watch. 2nd half as you would expect from a top side, they came back but Glasgow defence absurdly good. Segun was their only real threat

Warriors now have a really tough programme. Many of these players will be rested next week away to Zebre. week after at home to Munster - but with the 6N the following week, will Warriors have access to everyone or will some be held back (eg Zander). Then play Connacht away mid 6N, likely to be missing many to Scotland, Connacht might be missing a couple at most to Ireland. Finally Leinster week after 6N, most if not all Scotland players will be rested. Then one home game v Benneton before the HC R16 v Bulls

Small squad will be severely tested, price of a small bit of success

I'd got confused and thought the Zebre game was the last one before the 6N. I wouldn't have thought any starters for Scotland will be playing against Munster. Would be nicer if the games were the other way round.

Post 6N, it may depend how many minutes certain players have actually played. It's possible people like Sutherland, Williamson, Brown, Horne, Dobie, McDowall, Smith and Rowe will have actually have had quite a light workload.

Do think they could do with a slightly bigger squad next year, though I'm not fully on board with those who say "Franco has done well, therefore its criminal not to give him everything he demands". First, there's not a budget for it. Second, there are competing priorities and there is an argument that the failure to re-sign Venter, which was so controversial at the time, has been vindicated (though there is always a bit of luck involved re injuries and we are yet to get to crunch time).

Think Vaianu is back now too, which should help. Expect to see him vs Zebre. Maybe a start for Williamson and Brown too. Would love to see Stephen get a start at some point as well.

[septic 9]

I'd got confused and thought the Zebre game was the last one before the 6N. I wouldn't have thought any starters for Scotland will be playing against Munster. Would be nicer if the games were the other way round.

Post 6N, it may depend how many minutes certain players have actually played. It's possible people like Sutherland, Williamson, Brown, Horne, Dobie, McDowall, Smith and Rowe will have actually have had quite a light workload.

Do think they could do with a slightly bigger squad next year, though I'm not fully on board with those who say "Franco has done well, therefore its criminal not to give him everything he demands". First, there's not a budget for it. Second, there are competing priorities and there is an argument that the failure to re-sign Venter, which was so controversial at the time, has been vindicated (though there is always a bit of luck involved re injuries and we are yet to get to crunch time).

Think Vaianu is back now too, which should help. Expect to see him vs Zebre. Maybe a start for Williamson and Brown too. Would love to see Stephen get a start at some point as well.
[/quote]

come on, no-one is saying give smith everything he demands. Smith is making a clear point about how best to manage his scotland players and bring through younger players. what some miss is that if you play really well for Glasgow (even Edinburgh!) you are immediately a candidate for Scotland (its a function of just 2 teams). Smith (and Everitt) need to plan for the worst (in terms of maximum call ups) and not the best (very few called up). and as you say injuries need to be factored in with a planning assumption (based on loads of history) of probably 20-25% of players out with injury at any one time.

The Venter decision is one not exactly vindicated. Just possible Warriors would have won in Benetton and be better at Scarlets had he been there to steady and lead; and its very clear to me that his presence brought on Brown and Ferrie rather than stalled and blocked them

Back to the fixture list. I agree that not all will be unavailable every week due to Scotland call ups. Mainly because Townsend will revert to favourites and not form. One stalwart who may or may not get called up today is McDowell. He was due to be rested v Clermont, but on the bench die to Hastings call off. Ditto v Sarries. He is overdue a break. If Warriors were without him, Huwpolotu and Smith they are down to promising but untried kids at centre. A solid experienced nSQ would be very handy

[Cameo]

come on, no-one is saying give smith everything he demands. Smith is making a clear point about how best to manage his scotland players and bring through younger players. what some miss is that if you play really well for Glasgow (even Edinburgh!) you are immediately a candidate for Scotland (its a function of just 2 teams). Smith (and Everitt) need to plan for the worst (in terms of maximum call ups) and not the best (very few called up). and as you say injuries need to be factored in with a planning assumption (based on loads of history) of probably 20-25% of players out with injury at any one time.

The Venter decision is one not exactly vindicated. Just possible Warriors would have won in Benetton and be better at Scarlets had he been there to steady and lead; and its very clear to me that his presence brought on Brown and Ferrie rather than stalled and blocked them

Back to the fixture list. I agree that not all will be unavailable every week due to Scotland call ups. Mainly because Townsend will revert to favourites and not form. One stalwart who may or may not get called up today is McDowell. He was due to be rested v Clermont, but on the bench die to Hastings call off. Ditto v Sarries. He is overdue a break. If Warriors were without him, Huwpolotu and Smith they are down to promising but untried kids at centre. A solid experienced nSQ would be very handy

Maybe I spend too much time looking at the Glasgow Forum, but there are definitely some saying exactly that.

I suspect we don't actually disagree too much on this. If there is a decent nSQ back available, I think that would worthwhile, but I' not sure they can justify two top quality ones and if it is, say, just squad filler in the back three, then I'd rather they take the risk and start giving some youngsters some gametime. All really depends who is available.

We'll never know with Venter. My feeling is that he played a very valuable role, but that the youngsters have now developed sufficiently that it wasn't a bad time to leave. They do already have a nSQ in the backrow too, albeit he tends to be injured.