Underdogs Glasgow Warriors Gear Up for United Rugby Championship Final Clash Against Bulls in Pretoria
Glasgow, Scotland – June 22, 2023
The Glasgow Warriors are set to face the Bulls in the highly anticipated United Rugby Championship (URC) final at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, South Africa on Saturday. The Warriors, who secured a semi-final victory over Munster last weekend, will take the field as underdogs against the formidable Bulls squad in front of a capacity crowd of over 52,000 home supporters.
Head coach Franco Smith has named an unchanged starting XV for the Warriors, with Zander Fagerson, Jamie Bhatti, and Johnny Matthews leading the front row. The experienced second-row pairing of Scott Cummings and Richie Gray will look to disrupt the Bulls’ lineout, while the all-international back-row of Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, and Jack Dempsey aims to match the hosts’ physicality.
In the backline, scrum-half George Horne and fly-half Tom Jordan, making his 50th appearance for the club, will look to orchestrate the play. The midfield duo of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones, who starred in the semi-final, will be crucial in the Warriors’ bid for an upset. On the wings, Kyle Steyn captains the side, with Sebastian Cancelliere and Josh McKay providing the pace and finishing ability.
“The Warriors will need to weather the power and altitude of Pretoria if they are to claim a famous victory over the Bulls.”
Replacements Nathan McBeth, George Turner, and Oli Kebble will bring valuable experience off the bench, while Max Williamson and Euan Ferrie are set to make their first appearances in a Grand Final for Glasgow.
Kick-off for the United Rugby Championship final is set for 18:00 local time (17:00 BST, 16:00 GMT) on Saturday, June 22, with referee Andrea Piardi (Italy) taking charge of the proceedings.
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