GLASGOW Warriors head coach Dave Rennie was a quietly satisfied man after seeing his team beat Edinburgh with something to spare last night to go into a home PRO14 semi-final.
The omens had not been good for the home team at Scotstoun, with Callum Gibbins having been ruled out of the match earlier in the week and Jonny Gray having been pulled out yesterday because of illness, but they responded superbly in adversity to pull off the biggest victory over their rivals in recent years.
“It was a good performance,” the understated New Zealander said. “Our defence was outstanding, and we were very clinical when we got our opportunities. I’m rapt we’ve won, but I’ve already moved my thinking on to the next opposition.”
Next weekend’s quarter-final between Ulster and Connacht will decide who those next opponents are in the PRO14 semi-final in three weeks' time. If Glasgow win that one, they will stay in the city for the final at Celtic Park at the end of next month.
“Our resilience was excellent when you consider how many of our big men were missing,” Rennie added, referring to co-captain Gibbins and key forward Gray, as well as substitute hooker Grant Stewart, who was also ruled out yesterday after suffering back spasms. “We don’t make excuses, we just get on with it. If you look at Tom Gordon tonight - outstanding.”
Gordon came in at openside, Gibbins’ position, for only his fourth Glasgow appearance, and was up against one of the toughest opponents in the game in Hamish Watson. But, as his coach said, he put in a first-class performance.
The same could be said not only of other players in this game, but also of the Warriors squad as a whole in the last weeks of the regular season. “When we lost to Treviso we dropped to second in our division and we knew we probably had to win every game,” Rennie added.
Rennie’s side will have a training game at some point in the next three weeks to ensure that they stay match fit before Ulster or Connacht come visiting. Having looked undercooked when they lost at home to Scarlets in last year’s home semi-final, getting the preparation right this time will require some fine judgment.
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