Duncan Weir says why Glasgow Warriors can stay top of the URC: ‘We know the plan, we live the systems’

Crucial cameo from stand-off helped snare bonus points

Duncan Weir probably hasn’t started as many games as he would have liked this season but his value to Glasgow Warriors was vividly illustrated in a dramatic final 15 minutes at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The experienced stand-off stepped off the bench just after Kyle Steyn’s converted try had cut the Bulls’ lead to 37-17. Weir helped continue the revival, coaxing fresh impetus from the backline and scoring a try, two conversions and a penalty to take him past the 900-point mark in his Glasgow career. It wasn’t enough to claw back the deficit but Glasgow were able to take two bonus points from the 40-34 defeat, keeping them top of the United Rugby Championship with two rounds to go.

If they can stay there, the reward for Franco Smith’s side will be home advantage throughout the play-offs, all the way to the final if they make it that far. Their remaining two league games are against the Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday and Zebre at Scotstoun on May 31. Two five-point wins would guarantee them top spot and Weir thinks they can do it.

“Yes, we can,” said the fly-half who was part of the Glasgow side which won the Guinness Pro12 title in 2015 during his first stint with the club. “We don’t go into any game not favouring ourselves to get a result. The plan might change but as a collective of players we are confident in our ability to go and perform well.

“At this stage of the season we know the plan. We know what each other is doing, we know the systems and if you don’t you will get found out pretty quickly by Franco or one of the other coaches. Now it is just about living those systems, those team structures and bringing them to life in our remaining games.”

Weir was excellent on Saturday, just what Glasgow needed during the energy-sapping final stages in the heat of Pretoria. The Warriors had taken the lead through Matt Fagerson’s early try but listed badly thereafter, falling 37-10 behind as Akker van der Merwe, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw and Canan Moodie scored tries for the Bulls and the sure-footed Chris Smith kicked 17 points.

Steyn’s score after a perfect pass from Tom Jordan gave them a glimmer of hope, and an intercept try by Sebastain Cancelliere four minutes later fortified them further. Weir converted that one then scored a try of his own after good work by Cancelliere and Jamie Dobie. Weir again added the extras but another Chris Smith penalty made it 40-31 before Weir had the final say, kicking a penalty after the hooter to ensure Glasgow left Loftus with two bonus points, not one.

Mixed emotions at full-time for Glasgow Warriors players Sione Tuipulotu (hidden), Duncan Weir (23) and Jamie Dobie after the 40-34 loss to Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld. Weir's late penalty ensured Glasgow left with two bonus points. (Photo by David Gibson/Fotosport/Shutterstock)

“It was exciting for me,” said Weir. “My job at ten is to unlock the backs and I thought we saw the backs get a lot more ball in that second half. You saw a lovely pass from Tom to Kyle and Stafford McDowall making a line break and linking with Seba. We have really exciting backs and I knew if I could get them on the ball and involved as many times as possible against a tiring defence then they would cause problems.

“They were fairly flat when I came on so it was about geeing them up and making sure they were going to get more touches on the ball and were ready for it.”