Preview: Pro12, Semifinals

 

Glasgow Warriors take on Ulster at Scotstoun on Friday in the first of the two games, in a repeat of the last round action where the sides met in Scotland.

 

Ulster head coach Neil Doak has rung the changes since their loss to Gregor Townsend's men last week, making 11 changes from the side that went down to the Warriors.

 

Ten internationals come back into a side that boasts 304 Test caps, with only Louis Ludik, Ricky Lutton, Lewis Stevenson and Chris Henry retained from the starting XV that played last Saturday.

 

Glasgow Warriors  are unbeaten at home since November 2013, and coach Townsend has made just two personnel changes and one positional switch to the side which defeated Ulster.

 

Coming into the side is scrumhalf Henry Pyrgos while Niko Matawalu moves from scrumhalf to the left wing in place of Sean Lamont.

 

In the forwards Fraser Brown returns to the line-up after recovering from a hamstring injury and he replaces Dougie Hall at hooker.

 

In the second play-off fixture Musnter take on the in-form Ospreys, and Munster fullback Felix Jones is understandably wary the Welshmen as they look to make it three wins on the bounce over the Irish province.

 

"They [Ospreys] are an impressive side with talent right across the pitch including some world class Welsh internationals," said Jones.

 

"They are a proven side who have already beaten us twice this season and are themselves unlucky not to have a home semifinal, it could very easily have been us travelling over there this weekend. 

 

"Things will be very tight again at Thomond Park."

 

 

 

Glasgow Warriors have reached a fourth successive play-off encounter, and their second in a row at Scotstoun. The Warriors were the only side during the Pro12 regular season to have a 100 percent winning record at home and have won their last 19 matches at Scotstoun in the tournament since Newport Gwent Dragons won there in November 2013. 

 

The Scotsmen’s only defeat in the last six rounds of Pro12 play came at Ospreys in Round 21. This match is Glasgow’s seventh at a semifinal stage in major competitions, with their solitary victory being over Munster at Scotstoun in this equivalent encounter last season.

 

This is Ulster’s third successive appearance in the play-offs, progressing on to the final only in 2013 when they overcame Scarlets in Belfast at this stage. The Ulstermen’s last six away games in all competitions have resulted in three wins and three losses. Ulster have reached this stage eight times previously in all major tournaments, where their record is an even won four, lost four.

 

Ulster’s only victory in their last five fixtures with the Warriors was 29-9 at Kingspan Stadium in Round 6 this season, whilst Ulster have been victorious just once at Scotstoun since the Warriors moved there in 2012: 19-8 in a pool game in the European Cup in October 2012. The Ulstermen have won two previous knockout games in Glasgow, beating the Warriors in a Celtic League quarterfinal game in 2002 and a Celtic Cup semifinal clash a year later, with both fixtures being played at Hughenden.

2015: Glasgow Warriors won 32-10, Glasgow

2014: Ulster won 29-9, Belfast

2014: Glasgow Warriors won 27-9, Glasgow

 

Prediction: Glasgow finished top of the table after the regular season, and are in sublime form with coach Gregor Townsend recently named Pro12 coach of the year. More importantly, Glasgow have not lost at home since November 2013, and are coming off a victory over Ulster just last week. The Irish province has hit the panic-button with Doak making 11 changes to his side.  Glasgow will keep the ball rolling and win by 12. 

 

 

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Richie Vernon, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Niko Matawalu, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Adam Ashe, 7 Chris Fusaro, 6 Josh Strauss, 5 Al Kellock (Captain), 4 Jonny Gray, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Ryan Grant.

Replacements: 16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Mike Cusack, 19 Leone Nakarawa, 20 Ryan Wilson, 21 Duncan Weir, 22 Sean Lamont, 23 DTH van der Merwe.

 

Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Darren Cave, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Chris Henry (captain), 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Dan Tuohy, 4 Lewis Stevenson, 3 Ricky Lutton, 2 Rory Best (C), 1 Callum Black.

Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Bronson Ross, 19 Robbie Diack, 20 Sean Reidy, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Stuart McCloskey, 23 Mike Allen.

 

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

Assistant Referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Dudley Phillips (Ireland)

TMO: Seamus Flannery (Ireland)

 

 

Munster are unbeaten in their last five Pro12 encounters, a run which has seen them now reach the play-off stage in five of the last six seasons, although none of those encounters have been played at Thomond Park since 2011. The Munstermen have won only one of their last nine semifinal appearances in all tournaments since 2008: 18-11 over Ospreys in Limerick in the Pro12 in May 2011.

 

Ospreys have won their last six Pro12 matches since drawing 9-9 at home to Leinster in February. The Welshmen have won their last three away games in the tournament, and have never won four in a row on the road in the history of the competition. This is Ospreys first appearance in the play-offs since 2012 with their two most recent appearances at this stage both being against Munster, losing in Limerick in 2011 but exacting revenge at Liberty Stadium a year later.

 

Ospreys achieved the Pro12 double over Munster during the regular season, being only one of two sides to have defeated Munster on their own ground this season – the other was Edinburgh in Round 1. Ospreys last four visits to Thomond Park have resulted in two victories, one draw and just one defeat.

 

2015: Ospreys won 26-12, Swansea

2014: Ospreys won 19-14, Limerick 

2014: Munster won 25-11, Swansea

 

Predicition: Ospreys have had the better of Munster in the previous two encounters, including a victory in Limerick, which does count in their favour. However Munster managed to sneak a home semifinal at the death of Round 22, and no team has ever won a Pro12 semifinal away from home in the history of the competition. In that respect,  Munster will take it by 3.

 

 

 

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Assistant Referees: Leighton Hodges (Wales), Ian Davies (Wales)

TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)

 

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