'No excuses' - Glasgow Warriors dismiss mitigating factors as they bid to make history in URC final

The odds will be stacked against Glasgow Warriors when they contest the United Rugby Championship final against the Vodacom Bulls in South Africa this Saturday but head coach Franco Smith has already made it clear that they will not be citing heat, altitude or a gruelling travel schedule as mitigating factors in their bid to carve out some Scottish sporting history.

On a weekend when the national mood took an almighty pounding in Munich it was refreshing to see Glasgow produce such a gutsy performance to defeat Munster 17-10 in their own backyard in the semi-final in Limerick.

Allan Massie described Thomond Park as “a forbidding citadel” in The Scotsman on Saturday and Glasgow are only the second team to win a URC match there this season, emulating Leinster. It was noisy and hostile at times but Smith’s side stayed admirably cool to oust the champions.

Their ‘reward’ is a trip to the Highveld, a final showdown with the Bulls and the chance to become the first Scottish club to win the URC. The match will kick off at 6pm local time, 5pm in the UK, when the temperature will be around 20 degrees. More pertinent is the fact that Loftus Versfeld is situated 1350 metres above sea level and the thin air could be just as difficult an opponent as Jake White’s team who overcame Leinster at home in the other semi-final on Saturday.

The more immediate problem for Glasgow is sourcing flights to Pretoria. The format and scheduling of the URC is not exactly conducive to long-term planning, with teams in the play-offs being given less than a week’s notice to make transcontinental travel plans. For Smith, it’s one more challenge to overcome, like the heat and altitude.

“For one, it’s not going to be an excuse,” he said when asked about the logistical difficulties. “It's part of the game, like injuries and refereeing decisions, and we have to embrace it if we want to make this competition work across the borders. The first thing is for us to get on a flight as soon as possible. There are some that will leave on Sunday, so we do that and recover. That is going to be the main ingredient this week - they'll be mentally prepped but physically recovered.”

Richie Gray and Matt Fagerson were both yellow-carded during a torrid first half for Glasgow at Thomond. The visitors conceded five penalties in the opening ten minutes as Munster threatened to run over the top of them, but the Warriors’ defence was excellent and Kyle Steyn scored an opportunist’s try midway through the half to give them a 7-3 lead at the interval.

Glasgow Warriors' Sione Tuipulotu walks down the tunnel after the win over Munster in the BKT United Rugby Championship semi-final at Thomond Park, Limerick, on 15 June 2024. (Photo by Ben Brady/INPHO/Shutterstock)

Glasgow began the second 40 without Matt Fagerson, still in the sin-bin after catching Peter O’Mahony with a swinging arm, but they seemed emboldened. They scored a brilliant second try, finished by Sebastian Cancelliere after a lightning break from Huw Jones, and although Munster got one back through Antoine Frisch, the visitors saw out the match in the same determined manner they’d shown throughout. George Horne landed a late penalty to add to his two conversions after he’d been the victim of a rash lunge by Alex Nankivell which saw the Munster centre sent off. That made it 17-10 and Glasgow were able to repel one last attack to book their place in the final in Pretoria.

For Sione Tuipulotu, a worthy recipient of the player of the match award, it’s an occasion to be savoured, regardless of the travel and conditions. “Since the Glasgow summer hasn’t arrived yet, I’m looking forward to getting back to South Africa and some sunshine,” he laughed.

Scorers: Munster: Try: Frisch. Con: Crowley. Pen: Crowley. Glasgow Warriors: Tries: Steyn, Canelliere. Cons: Horne 2. Pen: Horne.

Red cards: Nankivell (Munster, 73min). Yellow cards: Gray (Glasgow, 11min), M Fagerson (Glasgow, 39min)

Munster: M Haley; S Daly, A Frisch, A Nankivell (S O’Brien 46-50), S Zebo (O’Brien 61); J Crowley, C Casey (C Murray 57); J Loughman (J Ryan 66), N Scannell (D Barron 45), S Archer (O Jager 45), F Wycherley (RG Snyman 45), T Beirne, P O'Mahony, J Hodnett (A Kendellen 72), J O'Donoghue (G Coombes 54).

Glasgow Warriors: J McKay; S Cancelliere (J Dobie 57), H Jones, S Tuipulotu, K Steyn; T Jordan, G Horne; J Bhatti (O Kebble 70), J Matthews (G Turner 57), Z Fagerson, S Cummings, Richie Gray (M Williamson 57), M Fagerson (E Ferrie 60-70), R Darge (H Venter 57), J Dempsey. Replacements not used: M Walker, R Thompson.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR).