McNicholl returns to Scarlets’ side as they home in on Glasgow
JOHNNY McNicholl is thrust straight back into the Scarlets starting line-up for Friday’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final showdown with Glasgow at Scotstoun.
The former Crusaders Super Rugby star hasn’t played since aggravating a shoulder injury in the defeat to Leinster at the RDS in February – a setback he thought would signal the end of his season.
However, the Kiwi has worked hard on his rehab since undergoing surgery and provides the defending champions with a timely full-back replacement for Wales international Leigh Halfpenny, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Head coach Wayne Pivac has made just one other personnel change to the side that saw off the Cheetahs in such style last time out.
Wales international flanker Aaron Shingler returns to the side, so Tadhg Beirne shifts into the second row and Lewis Rawlins drops to the bench.
Glasgow have named a side stacked with internationals with Scotland’s Jonny Gray and Tommy Seymour recalled after missing the defeat to Edinburgh last time out.
Fly-half Finn Russell will play his final home game before his summer move to Racing 92.
The Warriors haven’t been beaten at home in the PRO14 this season with no opposition side managing to come away with even a losing bonus-point from Scotstoun.
However, Dave Rennie’s side have stuttered of late and have lost three of their last four matches, including a 26-8 defeat to the Scarlets in Llanelli last month.
“Glasgow have a very good record at home, as a lot of sides do,” said Pivac. “They also play on a different surface to other teams, which they are used to, which is an advantage. But it is 80 minutes of pressure knockout rugby.
“We feel we are in a reasonably good position in terms of our form and we are looking forward to it.
“Both sides like to play, both sides like to use the width of the field, it could be a great game.
“Certainly we know Glasgow will be a lot better than they were against us out here. We are expecting a much different Glasgow side playing at home.”
The Scarlets are targeting backto-back Dublin finals, having become the first away side in the competition to win a semi-final when they shocked Leinster at the RDS in last season’s play-offs.
“We have played five knockout games over this season and last and have won four of them,” added Pivac.
“For me, the mental side comes into it at this time of the year. It is about who deals with the pressure and the more games you have like that the better.
“We are certainly not over-confident, but we have been in a few of these situations in the last 12 months and the boys enjoy being in these situations.”
GLASGOW: S. Hogg; T. Seymour, N. Grigg, S. Johnson, DTH van der Merwe; F. Russell, G. Horne; J. Bhatti, F. Brown, Z. Fagerson, T Swinson, J. Gray, M. Fagerson, R Wilson (capt), C. Gibbins. Reps: G. Turner, A. Allan, S. Halanukonuka, R. Harley, C. Fusaro, H. Pyrgos, P. Horne, R. Jackson.
SCARLETS: J. McNicholl; T. Prydie, S. Williams, H. Parkes, S. Evans; R. Patchell, G. Davies; R. Evans, K. Owens (capt), S. Lee, T. Beirne, S. Cummins, A. Shingler, James Davies, J. Barclay. Reps: R. Elias, W. Jones, W. Kruger, L. Rawlins, W. Boyde, J. Evans, D. Jones, S. Hughes.
Referee: John Lacey (Ire).