Warrior warning to stay course

“They have been very impressive this season”

Coach Gregor Townsend has warned his Glasgow players they cannot afford to switch off if they want to avoid a slip in Swansea tomorrow.

Warriors travel to Wales to take on third- placed Ospreys still bruised by last weekend’s defeat to Ulster in Belfast.

That result was highly damaging to the Scotstoun outfit’s attempts to regain their place in the Pro12 play-off places, and their head coach has cautioned his men they must not repeat the lapses of concentration which hurt them at the Kingspan Stadium.

Townsend said: “We’ll have to take the game to the Ospreys for 80 minutes as t hey have been very impressive this season.”

With Glasgow again stretched by the loss of their Scotland internationals this weekend, 20-yearold flanker Matt Smith will be handed his senior Warriors debut.

Prop Jamie Bhatti is also handed his first start while Pat MacArthur could make his 150th appearance for the club if he appears from the bench.

Smith, who has played nine times for Scotland under-20s, was joined in signing his first professional deal back in January by Lewis Wynne, who starts at eight, while Rob Harley returns from Scotland camp to pack down on the blind side.

Scott Cummings, who scored twice against Ulster last weekend, continues his partnership with Brian Alainu’uese in the secondrow.

Corey Flynn and Sila Puafisi add some international experience to the scrum as they join Bhatti in the front row. Brandon Thomson had a debut to remember at the Kingspan, scoring a try from full back, and he moves up the field to his more familiar position of stand off, starting outside of Grayson Hart.