Patience paying off for Domingo Miotti as Glasgow Warriors stand-off discusses future after back-to-back games

Domingo Miotti has had to be patient at Glasgow Warriors. The Argentine stand-off moved to Scotstoun in summer 2021 but did not make his debut until December 2021 when he came off the bench for the final 15 minutes of the 33-14 win over the Dragons at Scotstoun.

Against the same opponents on Saturday, Miotti pulled the strings in a record-busting victory in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup. It was significant for a number of reasons. Glasgow had never scored as many points (73) or tries (11) in a single game but it was also the first time Miotti had started two matches in a row for the Warriors.

“Domingo has never had a run,” said Pete Horne, the club’s skills coach. “He trains the house down every session and is so talented, but any time he got a game, he’d get a knock or maybe not have his best performance, so it is great to see him get the keys for a couple of weeks and he looked way more assured at the weekend, and he was also really good against Munster. It is great to have that competition at half-back.”

Competition has been important for the Warriors this season, with head coach Franco Smith regularly shuffling his pack. He made nine changes to his starting XV for the Dragons game but Miotti was one of the six who retained his place. “It was lovely to play with the team two games in a row, amazing,” said the fly-half. “And two big wins.” It has not always been the case, with seven of Miotti’s 12 appearances in this campaign coming as a replacement. But he has been more involved this season than last when he was used only sparingly. “It was tough,” he said. “When you are injured or not playing you are focusing on other things, like mental skills. I love working on mental skills. I think the mind can control everything.”

Domingo Miotti in training ahead of Glasgow Warriors' Challenge Cup quarter-final. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

He must now try to convince Smith that he deserves to retain the No 10 jersey for Saturday’s home quarter-final against the Emirates Lions. It won’t be easy. The Warriors coach has favoured Tom Jordan as his starting stand-off this season and been rewarded with a string of impressive performances from the young New Zealander who made his debut in the opening game of the season against Benetton and has never looked back. “This time last year, TJ was playing in the Super6 Sprint with Ayr, and hadn’t played a single game for Glasgow, whereas now he has been involved in every single game this season,” said Horne.

If Miotti finds himself back on the bench this weekend he is realistic enough to know he is likely to have a role to play still as Glasgow seek to make a bit of club history - they have never before reached a European semi-final. With Smith’s team also riding high in the United Rugby Championship there is potential to do something really special this season. Miotti, who is out of contract in the summer, is determined to be part of it and open to staying in Glasgow. “It’s a pretty good team, why not?" he said. "We’ll see what happens. It’s a lovely team and a lovely city and the weather is not too bad!”