After watching his team put themselves in a position where a home semi-final in the RaboDirect Pro12 is in their own hands, Gregor Townsend, the Glasgow Warriors head coach, singled out Tommy Seymour, the wing, as being the player who exemplified the spirit and determination in his squad.

The player had been laid up in bed during the week with a flu bug and it was touch and go whether he would even make the match, but not only did he score the vital try, coming in at the back of a lineout maul, but he also produced the moment of the match when, with Ulster enjoying a four-to-one overlap, Seymour smashed Tommy Bowe, his opposite number, so hard that the ball went loose and Glasgow cleared their lines.

It was the kind of "big hit" that is likely to get played over and over again but for Townsend, it was simply an example of the determination in his squad to keep their line intact. "Tommy [Seymour] was ill all week, to to turn in performance like that is special," said Townsend. "I was close to calling him off. I'm glad I didn't. Defence is a big part of what this team is about; it is great to see the line breaks and the tries but we are built on defence. We now have three games left and if we win all three we get a home semi-final. We started the final run with eight to go and now that is five down and it is in our hands."

The 27-9 win over Ulster with three tries, one from Sean Maitland, the wing, just before half time, the one from Seymour and a final one from Mark Bennett, the centre later named man of the match, has moved Glasgow to third in the table but, with that game in hand, they are only a point behind Ulster, currently second, and have won more games, which is the first tie break.

n Above: Finn Russell, who had only his second start at stand-off, acknowledges the Scotsoun crowd.