Glasgow Warriors v Zebre - teams and prediction

FRIDAY PREVIEW: All eyes turn to Round Four of the United Rugby Championship, starting when Glasgow Warriors host Zebre at the Scotstoun Stadium in the only Friday game.

Glasgow Warriors coach Franco Smith said they are determined to build on last week’s win over Cardiff, as the defending champions look to keep the pressure on the table-topping Leinster.

“We were pleased to come away with five points from Cardiff, but we know there are still more levels to come from our performance,” Smith said.

“Zebre have shown this season already that they will be a match for any team, and will compete hard in all areas of the field.

“We look forward to running out in front of the Warrior Nation, as we look to continue our recent run of results against a tough opponent.”

Zebre coach Massimo Brunello said: “We are playing at the home of champions, so it will inevitably be a very difficult match.

“Having one less day of rest, we have made a few changes, but this does not mean we will approach the game with a closed mindset.

“We need to improve in certain areas, such as discipline, which was our weakest point against the Stormers.

“We are ready to battle in every aspect of the game.

“The Warriors are a team that loves to play in open spaces, so we must be very vigilant in defence.”

Stafford McDowall will lead Glasgow Warriors out at Scotstoun, after the centre was named as captain upon his return from injury.

The Scotland international is one of seven changes to the starting XV that recorded a bonus-point win away in Cardiff last weekend, as the Warriors run out at Scotstoun for the final time before their South African double-header and the November international window.

Prediction

@rugby365com: Glasgow by 18 points

Teams:

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Kyle Rowe, 14 Jamie Dobie, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Stafford McDowall (captain), 11 Facundo Cordero, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Gregor Brown, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Jamie Bhatti.
Replacements: 16 Grant Stewart, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Alex Samuel, 20 Max Williamson, 21 Henco Venter, 22 Ben Afshar, 23 Tom Jordan.

Zebre: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14 Jacopo Trulla, 13 Fetuli Paea, 12 Scott Gregory, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giacomo Da Re, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 8 Giovanni Licata, 7 Luca Andreani, 6 Giacomo Ferrari, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Leonard Krumov, 3 Matteo Nocera, 2 Giampietro Ribaldi, 1 Danilo Fischetti (captain).
Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Samuele Taddei, 18 Ion Neculai, 19 Matteo Canali, 20 Iacopo Bianchi, 21 Alessandro Fusco, 22 Damiano Mazza, 23 Ben Cambriani.

Date: Friday, October 11
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Kick-off: 19.(20.35 Italian time; 18.35 GMT)
Referee: Griffin Colby (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Mike Adamson (Scotland), Chelsea Gillespie (Scotland)
TMO: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)