How Glasgow out-Munstered Munster to reach URC final

On a profoundly satisfying evening astatine Thomond Park, possibly nan sweetest point for Glasgow successful their monumental United Rugby Championship semi-final triumph was that it did not get successful a blaze of dazzling attacking rugby, nan Warriors measurement if you like, but alternatively they out-Munstered Munster.

The tries they did people weren’t half bad. Kyle Steyn’s speedy reactions and gait allowed him to pounce connected a muddle successful nan Munster midfield to people a effort that was truthful against nan tally of play it silenced nan reddish service who had enjoyed their squad putting nan compression connected Glasgow for nan mostly of nan first half.

The 2nd was a breathtaking people started by Tom Jordan, vanished brilliantly by Sebastian Cancelliere, pinch marvellous activity successful betwixt from Rory Darge and Huw Jones. That 1 was consecutive retired nan Glasgow locker.

With those tries, Franco Smith’s broadside showed nan benignant of ruthlessness that was ever going to beryllium required to topple nan defending champions successful their backyard, but nan instauration of this seismic triumph was towering defence, full belligerence, and making your opponents salary erstwhile nan chances presented themselves.

"Stand Up and Fight" nan Munster people loop retired pinch gusto earlier each match. Well, Glasgow stood tall, they fought and they won. Deservedly.

For ample spells successful that opening 40, it seemed unlikely. They were firmly connected nan incorrect broadside of referee Andrea Piardi. They conceded six penalties successful nan first 10 minutes, 9 by half-time, and had Richie Gray and Matt Fagerson some sent to nan misdeed bin.

Unlike truthful galore Scottish sides of nan caller past, they problem solved connected nan hoof and did not let a difficult spell to go a full-blown crisis. The large players stepped up and nan crippled guidance to adjacent it retired was exceptional.

"Credit to Glasgow, they were tenacious, they wouldn't spell away," devastated Munster caput coach Graham Rowntree told BBC Scotland aft nan match.

"This will sting for a agelong time. There's nary tomorrow. It's knockout rugby."

Munster came into nan semi-final riding nan crest of a activity aft reeling disconnected 10 wins connected nan bounce and looking each inch a squad that was fresh to make it back-to-back URC titles.

The large surface operators astatine Thomond Park were moreover advertizing tickets for adjacent week’s final, a showpiece they were intelligibly expecting to beryllium taking spot successful Limerick erstwhile Glasgow were swotted aside. The Warriors had different ideas.

Given nan opposition, nan venue, nan stakes and nan performance, this must beryllium revenge alongside nan very champion displays ever produced by a Scottish side.

"I'm very proud of nan boys," Glasgow caput coach Franco Smith said.

"The truth they stuck to nan book again and they worked really hard, adapted good to what was needed. And nether difficult circumstances sometimes, pinch nan truth that we had 2 yellowish cards, truthful really proud of nan resilience.

"It was astir cool heads. It was clear to everybody extracurricular that we wanted to play to triumph tonight.

"We were conscionable making excessively galore errors nan first half. We turned nan shot over, our ain mistakes, which led to america defending a batch of sets and past getting penalised unnecessarily and that was nan bad spiral we were in.

"We were conscionable trying to extremity nan rot from that perspective, beryllium a small spot much calm and successful power of our actions. That was nan connection astatine half-time."

Stopping nan rot has been an Achilles bottommost for Scottish teams successful caller times. Those "bad spirals" identified by Smith consumed nan nationalist squad successful their World Cup humiliation against Ireland and nan disastrous Six Nations conclusion by Italy successful Rome.

Glasgow players look to person a tougher separator to them erstwhile wearing Warriors strips than they do successful nan bluish of Scotland - and Smith must return overmuch of nan credit.

"I dream he’s sewage nan state of nan metropolis now," erstwhile Scotland prop Peter Wright said connected nan BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast.

"That's 2 awesome finals successful 2 seasons. He's really galvanised a squad of players that was a spot rudderless towards nan extremity of Danny Wilson's reign.

"They were struggling, they didn't really person an identity. I don't deliberation they were enjoying nan measurement Danny Wilson wanted them to play, whereas Franco Smith came successful and he's fixed them direction, he's fixed them a crippled scheme that they each look to enjoy.

"He's reliable connected them, he's a difficult taskmaster, but he's done a singular occupation and what I for illustration astir him is that he trusts each player."

Now Smith’s unthinkable activity pinch Glasgow takes him backmost to his homeland to look nan Bulls, who defeated Leinster, successful Pretoria and nan chance to lead Warriors to their first portion of silverware successful 9 years.

"It’s been a batch of sacrifice," Smith added. "I near distant from my family this twelvemonth and perfectly grateful that nan boys bought successful and gave maine thing to grin astir tonight.

"But we didn't train and believe to triumph a semi-final. We would for illustration to spell each nan way, truthful a batch of activity still to beryllium done this week."