RaboDirect PRO12: Gregor Townsend keeps faith with old warriors against Ulster

The Warriors head to Ravenhill tomorrow night on the back of a run of five wins in their final six games last season, the last match having been a play-off defeat away to Leinster. Ulster still have fresh memories of their Heineken Cup final appearance – also a loss to Leinster.

The men from Belfast will be without most of their Ireland internationalists and star Springbok Ruan Pienaar, due to summer Test duty, but Townsend has recalled skipper Al Kellock, Duncan Weir, Tom Ryder and Rob Harley to the starting line-up, and hands Sean Lamont his first start back at Glasgow, while Scotland tour winners Ryan Grant, John Barclay and Chris Cusiter all return to the bench.

That means there is no place yet for All Black Angus Macdonald, Byron McGuigan or Taylor Paris while Viliami Ma’afu (ankle) and Tim Swinson (face) are injured and Fijian scrum-half Nikola Matawalu is still to arrive in Scotland. There is no place yet either for Canadian wing DTH van der Merwe.

So Townsend sticks by the core of the squad that propelled the team to the league play-offs last season, which means a start for the young Scots back row of Harley, Chris Fusaro and Ryan Wilson, as well as props Gordon Reid and Mike Cusack, and the coach insisted that it was up to the players picked to grab hold of the jerseys.

Asked specifically about whether Duncan Weir would be his first choice at stand-off, Townsend said enigmatically: “It’s Duncan’s jersey until it’s someone else’s. I was really pleased with Duncan last week and he’s looking fit.

“This is the best available team and we have put this team out to win this game, with players that are on form and who can play the game we want to play against Ulster, relevant to how they defend and our strengths. It’s slightly different for those two [Cusiter and Barclay]. Chris hasn’t played any rugby yet so we can’t make judgments on what they’re doing until we see them playing.

“But we know that, over the season, we’re going to have to play between 40 and 50 players, so everyone will have an opportunity, and if you play well you’ll have a good chance of holding on to that jersey. All three tens have had game-time in pre-season and I’m looking at a real fight between all three. That [Jackson preferred to Scott Wight on the bench] was a really close decision and, again, relevant to what Ulster propose as a defensive team, and Ruaridh’s strengths.”

The growing strength in the Warriors squad is underlined by the names on the bench, and Townsend said that the selection there was also made with a view to tactical changes against the Ulstermen. “It’s a strong bench and one looking at a different way of playing,” he said. “Cus, Ruaridh and Peter [Horne] is a different make-up to the starting team so, if we do need to change the game, these guys can make that change.”

With very few Ireland caps playing this weekend after their summer tour in New Zealand, there is an opportunity for the Scottish sides, both of whom are pushing most of their capped men back in this weekend, to steal a march on rivals.

Ulster have still to confirm their starting line-up, but they are without Springbok Ruan Pieenar and Irish Test players Tommy Bowe, Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble, Rory Best, Dan Tuohy, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry and Roger Wilson.

They have named internationalists Paul Marshall, Darren Cave, Tom Court, Declan Fitpatrick, Paddy Jackson and Craig Gilroy, who made his Ireland debut against the Barbarians, in the 26-man squad. New signings Sean Doyle, Nick Williams and Michael Heaney will play. All Black John Afoa and Springboks Johann Muller and Robbie Diack are also involved. There is enough quality there for Townsend to warn against taking Ulster lightly.

“They have carried on their form into pre-season, without their seasoned internationalists, Pienaar and the Irish guys,” he noted, “drawing with Leicester and beating Newcastle [they also defeated Bayonne], so they’ve got confidence. We know that the players playing just now are quality. They’ve shown that in pre-season. The young players coming through are not necessarily that far away from their internationalists. They are always a really tough team to play against, especially at home. I thought they were the form team in a three-month period between February and April in Europe last season.”

Townsend added that all players not in the matchday 23 and fit have been released to their draft club sides, insisting that it was important that they play every week and keep match fitness, and that coaches would be seeking information on their displays for the clubs in determining future selections.

With a first-team selection of strong, proven Warriors talent, Townsend has set the bar of competition high from day one.

Glasgow team to face Ulster at Ravenhill

Tomorrow, kick-off 7:05pm

15 Peter Murchie

14 Tommy Seymour

13 Alex Dunbar

12 Graeme Morrison

11 Sean Lamont

10 Duncan Weir

9 Henry Pyrgos

1 Gordon Reid

2 Finlay Gillies

3 Mike Cusack

4 Tom Ryder

5 Al Kellock (captain)

6 Rob Harley

7 Chris Fusaro

8 Ryan Wilson

Subs

16 Dougie Hall, 17 Moray Low, 18 Ryan Grant, 19 James Eddie, 20 John Barclay, 21 Chris Cusiter, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Peter Horne.

Ulster – Forwards: N Annett, A Macklin, C Black, J Afoa, L Stevenson, N McComb, M McComish, J Muller, R Diack, S Doyle, N Williams, R Herring, T Court, N Brady, D Fitzpatrick; Backs: P Nelson, J Payne, N O’Connor, M Heaney, C Gilroy, P Jackson, L Marshall, P Marshall, C Farrell, M Allen, D Cave.