The teams for the semifinal of the United Rugby Championship have been named with all details of match officials and broadcast information below.
TEAM NEWS HEADLINES
GLAvBUL
• Jamie Dobie set for first appearance on his return from injury for Glasgow Warriors
• Captain Marcell Coetzee will make his 100th appearance for the Bulls, 76 times as captain. While hooker Johan Grobbelaar will make his 150th appearance for the club
LEIvSTO
• Garry Ringrose to make his 150th appearance for Leinster if called upon from the bench
• Three injury-enforced changes to Stormers starting line-up with Wandi Simelane in for Seabelo Senatla, Jurie Mathee in for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Connor Evans in for Ruben van Heerden
SATURDAY, JUNE 6
Glasgow Warriors v Bulls
(Murrayfield, Edinburgh – Kick-off: 14.30 IRE & UK / 15.30 ITA & SA)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Eoghan Cross (Ireland), Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Teams
Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay, Kyle Steyn (captain), 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
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 (captain), Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom
Replacements: Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Jeandre Rudolph, Zak Burger, Stedman Gans, Nizaam Carr
Comments
Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith said: “We know how strong of a challenge the Bulls will pose tomorrow afternoon – they are serial contenders at the business end of the season, have one of the deepest squads in the competition, and will bring a highly physical game plan that we will need to be at our best to meet.
“Both George and Jamie have worked hard with our medical and physio teams this week to put themselves in the best position possible ahead of tomorrow, with both men eager to give their all for this team.
“We look forward to representing not just Glasgow, but all of Scotland at Scottish Gas Murrayfield tomorrow, and we look forward to hearing the Warrior Nation behind us.”
Bulls Head Coach Johan Ackermann said: “It’s a great privilege to be in the URC semifinal. After a long season there are only four clubs left, and we are grateful to be one of those and to play the number one side. It shows the quality of their players, and we have a lot of respect for what they’ve achieved. Added to that is the opportunity to play at an iconic venue like Murrayfield. It will be an amazing day. It’s a good challenge and one we look forward to . . . a game of small margins, I suspect.”
(Continue below ….)
Leinster v Stormers
(Lansdowne Road, Dublin – Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA & SA)
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Adam Jones (WRU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Teams
Leinster Rugby: Hugo Keenan, Jimmy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain)
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Alex Usanov, Rabah Slimani, Diarmuid Mangan, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Harry Byrne, Garry Ringrose
Stormers: Damian Willemse, Wandisile Simelane, Ruhan Nel (captain), Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Jurie Matthee, Imad Khan, Ntuthuko Mchunu, André-Hugo Venter, Neethling Fouché, Adré Smith, Connor Evans, Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Evan Roos
Replacements: JJ Kotzé, Vernon Matongo, Zachary Porthen, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Ackermann, Marcel Theunissen, Stefan Ungerer, Warrick Gelant
Comments
Leinster Rugby Senior Coach Jacques Nienaber said: “We know they’re a quality side. They have lots of international experience and lots of international-quality players there, so we have to make sure that we get over our detail in our preparation for them.”
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said: “This will be a big challenge for everyone involved against a team with a great pedigree and formidable home record, but these are the occasions we live for and I have no doubt that our team will put in a worthy performance.
“We lost a few players last week, but those coming in have all played important roles in this campaign and are ready to give their all on Saturday.
“We have earned the chance to play for a place in the Grand Final and it will come down to a big 80 minutes. This team will not leave anything out there as we aim to do our fans proud,”
- Source: @unitedrugby.com
