“We hope not to put expectations in our environment” has been Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith’s mantra this season. His bravado side made this increasingly difficult.
With four regular season games remaining, Glasgow sit top of the United Rugby Championship and have set the stage for a remarkable season by taking maximum points from four games and finishing well in the Champions League group stages.
advertise
Some Warriors fans are even talking – or maybe just whispering – about an unprecedented URC and Champions League double, which was a fantasy at the start of the season when Smith was reshaping the team following the departures of key players like Tom Jordan, Sebastian Cancelier and Henk Venter.
Smith has struggled to contain the rising excitement and plaudits surrounding his side, repeatedly pointing out that nothing has been won yet and highlighting previous campaigns that had been equally promising but ended up with nothing in terms of trophies.
Now the real stuff begins with the end of season fixtures and rugby knockout rounds about to begin, with the Bulls traveling to Coston in the last 16 of the Champions League on Saturday. For the first time in their history, the Warriors have a chance to reach the quarterfinals at home in the European Cup.
Excellent wins in the group stages against the likes of past champions Toulouse and Saracens ensured a spot as second seed and the possibility of a tie with the home country (any semi-finals would be at Murrayfield) until the final in Bilbao.
advertise
With a host of big-name stars set to leave Scotland this summer, including Huw Jones, Adam Hastings and Jack Dempsey, this could be Glasgow’s best chance of competing for European club rugby’s top prize and breaking into the elite ranks.
“From a URC perspective, the recognition they’ve received this year and the performance they’ve had over the past few years, it’s right there,” former Warriors captain Fraser Brown told BBC Scotland.
“I still feel that in order for Scotland to be recognized as a great team in European rugby, you need to make your mark on the European stage. So, I still think Glasgow, even if they go on to win the URC this year, they need to make their mark in Europe.
“To be able to speak to some of the best players in Europe, we’ve never done anything like this.
advertise
“In terms of the players leaving in the summer, I do think this is undoubtedly the biggest and best opportunity Glasgow has ever had. Is this their best opportunity for the next few years? Probably.”
‘Bulls look to bring Glasgow back into their box’
If URC’s rankings are any guide, with Glasgow in first place and the Bulls in eighth, the Warriors will be considered favorites to advance to the quarter-finals. They have won all of their last 11 home games and are unbeaten at Scoston for almost a year.
The last team to beat them in their own right? Bulls, last April at URC. The two teams have met six times since South Africa joined, with each winning three games.
advertise
In a tournament where none of the five participating nations can compete, Glasgow versus the Bulls is a truly eye-catching game.
“The Bulls were very dangerous,” said former Glasgow centre-back Colin Gregor. “They have a lot of experience and real quality.
“They have a strong line up front – Cobus Wiese, Marcel Coetzee, goal-scoring Hand Pollard in the No. 10 position and Kurt Lee Arundessee on the wing.
“There were rumors that they were going to keep their big names at home but they have not done that. Fourteen Springboks in their traveling squad have made their intentions known.
advertise
“Glasgow also made history with the Warriors after beating them in the 2024 final to win the URC title in Pretoria. The Bulls will hope to get Glasgow back in their own box with a statement win at Scottstone on Saturday.”
Glasgow were boosted by the return of captain Kyle Stein to the starting lineup after injury, with Dan Lancaster replacing Hastings with 10 points and Stafford McDowell adding 13 points to beat Jones, who was completely absent.
These selection calls suggest Glasgow is preparing for the massive physicality the Bulls are sure to bring.
“It’s a very simple game plan for the Bulls — very strong, very direct, very confrontational,” Brown said.
advertise
“They’re going to have good running and really good set-piece play in nine games. The chaos will be an absolutely massive battleground for Glasgow. To be able to get parity there, it’s going to be huge for them.
“If the Bulls get broken down, they have such dangerous runners in their back three. So, it’s going to be a tough game, a big challenge.
“I expect Glasgow to advance by quite a margin in the end, if not easily. But, certainly, I think over 60, 65, 70 minutes it could be a pretty tight battle.”
