Glasgow Warriors explain two major team calls for Ulster opener as they bid to prove supercomputer wrong

Franco Smith isn’t the first head coach to foster a ‘no-one likes us, we don’t care’ attitude within his squad, but his grumbling about the lack of respect for Glasgow Warriors’ URC success has more than a ring of truth about it.

A 1500-word scenesetter on the Planet Rugby website this week tips Leinster and Sharks to contest the final and fails to mention Glasgow once. Even a so-called supercomputer deployed by betting firm Grosvenor Sport gives Smith’s side only a 24.5 per cent chance of retaining the trophy.

The coach will doubtless use this as motivational fuel when his side begin the new campaign against Ulster in Belfast on Saturday night. Glasgow have not won at Kingspan Stadium since they defeated Munster in the 2015 Pro12 final but they have never played there under Smith.

The South African has sprung a couple of selection surprises, picking Sam Talakai to start ahead of Zander Fagerson and leaving star signing Adam Hastings on the bench. Smith justified both decisions and the expectation is that Fagerson will come on at some point to make his 150th appearance for the club.

Sam Talakai starts for Glasgow Warriors against Ulster. | SNS Group

Talakai, 33, was recruited in the summer and brings much-needed cover at tighthead. The bad news for Warriors is that Murphy Walker has been sidelined once more by a neck injury and will be out for between nine and 12 weeks, according to his coach.

Fagerson ploughed a lone furrow at tighthead at times last season and played the full 80 minutes in the club’s three URC play-off matches. Talakai will now share the burden and arrives with a wealth of experience and a glowing recommendation from Smith.

“He's going to play an important role for us during the season, so there's no better time to start than now,” said the coach. “He's settled in well. He's a top person, a top man. He has worked really hard to adapt to what we ask here.”

Talakai has 100 Super Rugby appearances under his belt, most recently with Melbourne Rebels, and has also been capped once by Australia.

Walker is not the only one to miss out but Smith played down the injuries to Scott Cummings (foot), Jack Dempsey (back), Huw Jones (calf) and Rory Sutherland (groin).

With Hastings on the bench, Tom Jordan continues at stand-off. The New Zealander has been a revelation during Smith’s two years at the helm, and delivered a stellar performance in last season’s Grand Final win over the Bulls. There was speculation that he would move to centre to accommodate Hastings. That may yet happen but Smith is in no rush.

Tom Jordan will play from the start at stand-off. | SNS Group

“Nothing just happens here,” he said. “For one, Tom has done a great job. Why would we discard him as a fly-half? Not at all. Adam's come in to replace Ross Thompson as well to add value. He's got his own particular flavour to the game. Is it fair to throw him in the first game?

“We want to get continuity from last season. Adam will, at the right time, get his opportunity to start. There's enough expectation around the team. Plus, I know that he's got some family obligations over the weekend. No extra stress is going to be placed on him. We just want him to contribute and not feel any pressure to perform.”

The loss of Hastings’ auntie, Scott Hastings’ wife Jenny, in tragic circumstances has been a terrible loss for the family and a service to celebrate her life will take place in Edinburgh this weekend.

Ulster v Glasgow Warriors (URC, Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, Saturday, 7.45pm)

Ulster: Ethan McIlroy; Mike Lowry, Stewart Moore, Jude Postlethwaite, Jacob Stockdale; Aidan Morgan, Nathan Doak; Eric O’Sullivan, John Andrew, Corrie Barrett, Iain Henderson (capt), Kieran Treadwell, James McNabney, David McCann, Nick Timoney. Replacements: James McCormick, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Harry Sheridan, Cormac Izuchukwu, Dave Shanahan, James Humphreys, Werner Kok.

Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay; Sebastian Cancelliere, Stafford McDowall, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Steyn (capt); Tom Jordan, Jamie Dobie; Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Sam Talakai, Max Williamson, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Henco Venter. Replacements: Gregor Hiddleston, Nathan McBeth, Zander Fagerson, Alex Samuel, Gregor Brown, Euan Ferrie, Ben Afshar, Adam Hastings.

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)