Match Preview | Scarlets

• 9 Oct 2020

Glasgow Warriors will be looking to bounce back from a narrow defeat in round one of the 2020/21 Guinness PRO14 this weekend, as Scarlets provide the opposition for this year’s home opener.

The match
will be the first to be played at Scotstoun since the Dragons visited Glasgow nearly
eight months ago, and will take place behind closed doors.

Despite scoring
three eye-catching tries and defending well for large parts of the match, Danny
Wilson’s men were ultimately edged out by Connacht at the Sportsground last
weekend with only a losing bonus-point to show for their efforts.

In the
Scarlets, the Warriors will come up against another side who suffered a narrow
loss in their opening match of the new season but one that they know will provide
a stern test on Sunday evening.

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Here’s how
the two sides shape up ahead of their meeting this weekend:

Scarlets Form Guide

Glenn
Delaney’s Scarlets squad suffered an agonising defeat in their first match of
the new campaign, going down 30-27 to Munster at Parc y Scarlets.

Despite a
competition record-tying nine penalties from the boot of Leigh Halfpenny, the
Welsh side were unable to shake their opponents in a match that ebbed and
flowed throughout.

In the end
it was a 50 metre penalty in the 80^th minute that sunk the Scarlets,
Munster fly-half Ben Healy showing nerves of steel to slot the winning kick
with time expired.

Summer
departures

A brace of
experienced midfielders headlined the off-season leavers from Llanelli in 2020,
as international pair Hadleigh Parkes and Kieron Fonotia departed for pastures
new.

Promising
young winger Corey Baldwin also said his goodbyes to the Scarlets, making the
switch to English Premiership heavyweights Exeter.

There was
also a notable departure in the coaching box, as Brad Mooar was released from
his contract to allow him to take up a role as assistant coach with his native
New Zealand.

New
arrivals

Former
London Irish and Nottingham boss Delaney was the man picked to replace Mooar
ahead of rugby’s restart in August, with the 46-year-old New Zealander promoted
from his role as assistant coach.

On the
field, the dynamic presence of Sione Kalamafoni was added to the club’s
back-row options after the Tongan made the switch from Leicester Tigers,
joining highly-rated Wales U20 fly-half Sam Costelow in swapping Welford Road
for Parc y Scarlets.

The Scarlets
midfield options were also boosted by two strong running centres, as Johnny
Williams and Tyler Morgan arrived from Newcastle Falcons and the Dragons
respectively.

Ones to
watch

One of the
deadliest boots in world rugby, Leigh Halfpenny’s accuracy from the tee makes
him a threat to any opposition defence. Safe under the high ball and a standout
performer for club, country and British and Irish Lions, any indiscretion is
likely to be punished by the full-back.

Scrum-half Gareth
Davies has become a key man for both the Scarlets and Wales, with the livewire number
nine a constant dangerman in and around the fringes. Quick off the mark and
with a keen eye for an interception, the Warriors defence will need to be on
their toes on Sunday evening.

Named in the
Wales squad for the first time earlier this week, Josh MacLeod’s reputation has
steadily grown across the Guinness PRO14 in recent seasons. The openside
flanker is a combative presence at the breakdown, and has the ability to link
play to outstanding effect in open play.

Previous
Encounters

It was the
Scarlets that edged the sole encounter between the two sides in 2019/20, as a
Glasgow Warriors comeback came up just short at Scotstoun in October 2019.

The visitors
claimed a 25-21 victory under the floodlights, after tries from Brandon Thomson
and Stafford McDowall – following a sublime offload from Huw Jones – had given
the Warrior Nation hope.

Prior to
that meeting, the most recent encounter came in December 2018 when a
Thomson-inspired Warriors emerged victorious 29-20 in front of the Scotstoun
faithful.

24 points
from the South African saw the Warriors take the win despite the loss of Alex
Allan to a red card, Nick Grigg also going over for a try.

Match
Officials

Irish referee
Frank Murphy will take charge of Sunday evening’s clash, with the ex-Connacht
player overseeing his 36^th Guinness PRO14 match.

Scottish duo
Hollie Davidson and Ben Blain will be on the touchlines as Murphy’s assistants,
and Andrew McMenemy will be on hand if required as the Television Match
Official.

Broadcast
Information

The match is
live on Premier Sports 1, with coverage getting underway at 4.45pm ahead of the
5.15pm kick-off.

You can keep
up to date with all the action with our Live Match Centre, too – head to
glasgowwarriors.org on Sunday evening and follow all the latest news from
Scotstoun.