Sione Tuipulotu is set to make his first Glasgow Warriors appearance since January in Saturday night’s clash with Leinster at the Aviva Stadium. The Scotland centre returns to action just a week after being named in the British & Irish Lions squad for this summer’s tour to Australia, having recovered from a pectoral injury that has kept him out for four months.
Tuipulotu will form an all-Lions midfield alongside Huw Jones in the Warriors’ final regular-season fixture of the BKT United Rugby Championship campaign.
There’s a potential debut for 20-year-old Seb Stephen, who starts at hooker in what will be his first professional appearance. The Aberdeen-born front-rower has been involved with the club since a standout Six Nations showing with Scotland U20s and featured in last weekend’s U23 victory over Benetton U23.
Stephen is one of three players from that U23 side named to start in Dublin. He joins Jamie Bhatti and Fin Richardson in the front row, while Jare Oguntibeju starts in the second row after being named Glasgow’s Elior Breakthrough Player of the Season. Macenzzie Duncan is also included in the XV, earning his first senior start at blindside flanker.
Rory Darge and Euan Ferrie complete the back row, with Darge topping the league’s defender-beaten stats last weekend.
Ben Afshar starts at scrum-half, combining with Adam Hastings at fly-half in a new-look half-back pairing. Kyle Steyn captains the team from the wing, with Sebastian Cancelliere and Kyle Rowe rounding out the back three.
Among the replacements, Murphy Walker is again included following his recent return from injury. Gregor Hiddleston and Nathan McBeth complete the front-row cover, with JP du Preez, Scott Cummings, Stafford McDowall, George Horne, and Tom Jordan providing additional bench options after starting last weekend.
Live coverage via Premier Sports and glasgowwarriors.org Match Centre, on Saturday 17th May with kick-off at 19:35.
Starting XV:
1. Jamie Bhatti (122)
2. Seb Stephen (debut)
3. Fin Richardson (6)
4. Jare Oguntibeju (8)
5. Alex Samuel (37)
6. Macenzzie Duncan (1)
7. Rory Darge (64)
8. Euan Ferrie (36)
9. Ben Afshar (21)
10. Adam Hastings (67)
11. Kyle Steyn (C) (89)
12. Sione Tuipulotu (65)
13. Huw Jones (80)
14. Sebastian Cancelliere (57)
15. Kyle Rowe (34)
Replacements:
- Gregor Hiddleston (24)
- Nathan McBeth (55)
- Murphy Walker (14)
- JP du Preez (31)
- Scott Cummings (139)
- Stafford McDowall (91)
- George Horne (136)
- Tom Jordan (68)
