Glasgow Warriors’ embarrassing European Champions Cup exit could be the best thing that has happened to them in pursuit of silverware this season according to Scotland prop Zander Fagerson.
Friday’s meeting with Ulster was their first opportunity to respond and they did so in some style against a team that had pushed defending European champions Leinster all the way in their Champions Cup quarter-final the previous weekend, running in four tries to claim a bonus point in beating them 30-7 at Scotstoun.
The nature of their defeat at Saracens the previous weekend had hit them hard and harsh words were consequently exchanged during the post-mortem with Fagerson claiming that the players had contributed as much to those discussions as their coaches who have warned them that their careers are now on the line.
“We had a pretty hard review on Monday, a few truths told, it was tough, it was a really tough review, with boys getting called out.
“There was no place to hide, just honest stuff. That was the making of the team and I think we are better for it.
“We were really hurting so to come out with a performance like that (against Ulster) was ideal.”
What their third beating of the season at the hands of the English champions demonstrated was that for all that they have been regulars in the play-offs for their domestic competition over the past decade, Glasgow are still far from being serious Champions Cup contenders.
However, Fagerson - scorer of the try that secured the bonus point on Friday - believes the way they have reacted to this latest European failure could put them on course to claim silverware for just the second time in their history.
“It could be the making of our season,” he said.
“Hats off to Saracens, they were absolutely outstanding last weekend and we simply weren’t on the money.
“As they have shown in the Premiership and the Champions Cup, if teams aren’t on the money they punish them.
“We got torn apart last week and it could be the making of us. Tonight, we’re one game in, what we have shown the boys fired up and I am really proud of the boys.”
With a trip to Dublin coming next, ahead of a derby with Edinburgh, they still have it all to do to finish top of their Conference, though, as Fagerson acknowledged.
“If we don’t back up it doesn’t mean anything,” he said.
“Leinster away next week is going to be really tough. They have been in great form in the Champions Cup and the PRO14, the team to beat so I’m looking forward to the challenge if selected, really looking forward to getting stuck into them as well.”
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