Ollie Smith finally returns for Glasgow Warriors - but there's a twist
Franco Smith is a coach who likes to plan ahead but even he was taken aback by the severity of the weather which caused Glasgow Warriors’ URC match against Connacht to be moved from Friday night to Sunday afternoon.
As Scotstoun took a battering from Storm Éowyn, Smith was grateful his players didn’t have to try to play in such testing conditions.
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Hide Ad“It is horrible, the wind is howling, so we wouldn't have had any sort of proper rugby game out there, regardless of the danger around everything,” said the Glasgow coach who was happy - for once - to have his meticulous scheduling disrupted. “It doesn't bother us at all. It gave us an extra day of recovery, so we are excited about playing on Sunday.”
Ollie Smith should also be excited. The Scotland international will pull on a Warriors jersey for the first time since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the Champions Cup tie against Bayonne in France on December 15, 2023. Smith, 24, has been selected at outside centre against Connact, a position he has played in the past although he is more accustomed to the back three.


“At the Glasgow Warriors, you don't have the luxury to have a preferred position, you have to be able to adapt and play different roles,” pointed out Smith.
“Ollie's one of those guys. He can play wing and full-back. He's played centre for us and, going forward, we might see him more often there, you never know. But, obviously, we're also a little bit forced into that situation with the guys not being available through the Scotland selection and, obviously, injury.”
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Hide AdTwenty-two players in total are unavailable to Glasgow, 12 of whom are with the Scotland squad preparing for the Six Nations and another 10 who are injured.
Jack Mann, the uncapped No 8, has been released back to Glasgow by Scotland and will start against Connact. Jamie Bhatti was also released but Smith has decided to rest the prop who has played a lot of rugby of late.
The opposite, of course, is true of Mann who spent two years out the game but is desperate to contribute. “He's excited to be back, he's eager to contribute,” said Smith. “Maybe later in the Six Nations he'll be recalled, or he'll probably go back in next week.”
Duncan Weir will captain Glasgow, for the first time in a competitive game, but there is also plenty of inexperience in the team. Prop Fin Richardson will make just his second appearance for the club while Patrick Schickerling, on the other side of the scrum, will be playing his fifth Glasgow game. Johnny Matthews is the hooker. Alex Samuel and Euan Ferrie are in the second row and seasoned flankers Ally Miller and Henco Venter join Mann in the back row.
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Ben Afshar starts at scrum-half, inside Weir, and Smith is partnered in the centre by Duncan Munn who will be making his first start for Glasgow. Argentinians Facundo Cordero and Sebastian Cancelliere line up on the wings, whilst Josh McKay continues at full-back.
There are three potential debutants on the bench in the shape of Macenzzie Duncan, Joe Roberts and Kerr Johnston and Nathan McBeth is set for a first appearance since October following a calf injury.
Glasgow Warriors (v Connacht, URC, Scotstoun, Sunday, 3.30pm):
Josh McKay; Sebastian Cancelliere, Ollie Smith, Duncan Munn, Facundo Cordero; Duncan Weir (capt), Ben Afshar; Patrick Schickerling, Johnny Matthews, Fin Richardson, Euan Ferrie, Alex Samuel, Ally Miller, Henco Venter, Jack Mann.
Replacements: Grant Stewart, Nathan McBeth, Sam Talakai, Macenzzie Duncan, Joe Roberts, Angus Fraser, Sean Kennedy, Kerr Johnston.
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