Glasgow Warriors left ‘shell-shocked’ as Fin Smith helps Northampton end losing run

Northampton Saints lost 10 Champions Cup games in a row coming into this match but never looked like extending that run at Scotstoun against a Glasgow Warriors side who were “shell-shocked” according to head coach Franco Smith.

Northampton's Courtney Lawes wins a lineout against Glasgow Warriors' Sintu Manjezi during the Investec Champions Cup match at Scotstoun Stadium. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Saints beat Smith’s men 28-19 and the victory was founded largely on a first-half performance in which they outscored their hosts by three tries to one. Saints led 22-5 at the interval and Smith felt his Warriors side had been taken by surprise.

“I’m disappointed with the first half,” said the Glasgow coach, who guided the team to the final of the Challenge Cup last season. “We looked like we were surprised by what Northampton brought. We know we've got to start better, and we've been speaking about it. There's hard work ahead for us.”

Glasgow had actually taken an early lead, winger Seb Cancelliere scoring an intercept try after four minutes. But a try from the impressive Courtney Lawes and two from centre Tommy Freeman turned the game emphatically in Northampton’s favour.

Fin Smith, their Scottish-qualified stand-off who has been called into England squads but remains uncapped, was impressive throughout for the visitors. He kicked 13 points to keep the scoreboard ticking over and it gave Northampton enough of a margin to withstand a Glasgow rally in the final 12 minutes which yielded a fine solo score for Ollie Smith and a penalty try.

“I think we improved in the second half and we showed we know how to fight back, but we are very disappointed with the first half,” said Franco Smith. “We were not good at what we did, in the first half specifically, but they were excellent at what they did, and I think that is the lesson to take from this game - they came here with the urgency and the belief that they want to win this competition and they showed it through physical action so I must complement them in that regard.

“For us, it was an important reminder of what it is going to take to get to the top in both competitions.”

Asked why the urgency had been missing from Glasgow’s game, the coach said: “That's exactly the same question as I've posed to the players. It is now three times they have come into the changing room at half-time and had to convince them that we have a chance. I do not think it is a lack of preparation, I do not think it is a lack of belief, I do not think it is a lack of energy - tonight we started off well when we went to width but maybe one or two of our kicks meant we could get out of our half.

“I think we looked a little but shell-shocked, which is understandable if you haven't played in the Champions Cup before.”

Glasgow now go to France to take on Bayonne on Friday in their second game in Pool 3 before facing Exeter Chiefs and Toulon in January. It’s a tough group, which also includes Munster who Glasgow do not have to play. The top four will qualify for the round of 16, with the fifth-placed side dropping into the Challenge Cup.