Glasgow Warriors Host Connacht After Naming October 9 Lineups

Glasgow Warriors welcomed Connacht to Scotstoun Stadium on Friday, October 9, for a United Rugby Championship match scheduled to kick off at 7:45 p.m. Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster selected Bundee Aki to make his first start of the season, while Glasgow sought to extend their perfect home record against the Irish province.

According to Glasgow Warriors' October 8 match preview, the hosts had won all 10 previous meetings with Connacht at Scotstoun. Glasgow had collected 42 of a possible 45 points across nine regular-season games at the venue, earning 93.3% of the available points.

Despite that record, several encounters have been closely contested. Glasgow's previous home victories included an 8-6 result in 2013-14, a 33-32 win in 2015-16, a 29-27 result in 2022-23 and a 22-19 victory in 2024-25. Connacht had scored more tries at Scotstoun than all visiting sides except Leinster and Munster since 2012, according to the Glasgow club.

Connacht made six changes to the side that started against Benetton, with Billy Bohan, Sam Illo, Eoin de Buitléar, Niall Murray, Paul Boyle, Shayne Bolton and Josh Ioane included in the starting selection alongside retained players. The lineup also featured all seven players previously named for Ireland's summer tour, according to Connacht Rugby's team announcement.

Bundee Aki partnered Cathal Forde in midfield, while Ioane joined Bolton and Mack Hansen in the back three. Ciarán Frawley started at fly-half, with Caolin Blade at scrum-half. Shamus Hurley-Langton returned to the matchday squad after missing the previous game through injury.

Lancaster praised Connacht's previous performance in Italy and highlighted the competition created by the return of the Ireland internationals.

"I was very proud of the way the lads dug out the five points in Italy last week against a strong Benetton side. It's great to have all 7 Irish players now available so there's plenty of competition for places which is what we need in the squad. We're expecting a massive challenge from Glasgow who have quality across the field and are always tough to beat in Scotstoun.

That said we know them well after recent meetings with them so we'll have to be at our very best." Lancaster said.

Connacht's previous visit to Scotstoun came 132 days earlier, when the sides met in a URC playoff quarterfinal. Glasgow entered that knockout match as the league's top seed, while Connacht arrived as the eighth seed and mounted a sustained challenge.

Glasgow's match review recorded 10 Connacht entries into the opposition's 22-meter area, compared with six for the hosts. However, Glasgow scored tries on all but one of their own visits to the opposing 22, and Kyle Steyn crossed in the 73rd minute to secure the decisive score.

Steyn's try was his 11th in Glasgow knockout fixtures, setting a club record that he extended with two tries against the Bulls the following week. The same review highlighted the contribution of the Fagerson brothers, who made a combined 54 carries and tackles while starting together for Glasgow for the 70th time.

Glasgow's announced starting lineup featured McKay at fullback, Rowe and Watson on the wings, Smith and Tuipulotu in midfield, and Lancaster and Dobie in the halfback positions. The forward pack included McBeth, Hiddleston, Richardson, Williamson, Cummings, Fagerson, Darge and Duncan. George Horne and Kuenzle were among the replacements.

Connacht's starting XV included Ioane at fullback, Bolton and Hansen on the wings, Aki and Forde in midfield, and Frawley and Blade in the halfbacks. Bohan, de Buitléar and Illo formed the front row, with Darragh Murray, Niall Murray, Cian Prendergast, Boyle and Jansen completing the pack. The replacements included Matthew Victory, Francois van Wyk, Finlay Bealham, Josh Murphy, Hurley-Langton, Colm Reilly, Sean Naughton and Sam Gilbert.