Glasgow Warriors | Smith makes plans for knock-out rugby
Share

Next article
No more entries
Previous article
Got an opinion?
Discuss this article in the comments section or register with the glasgowwarriors.com forum.

Search this site

April 22, 2023

Smith makes plans for knock-out rugby

Posted by Editor on April 22, 2023 10:45 AM | No comments | Print | E-mail author

Franco Smith is managing his squad for knock-out rugby
Glasgow Warriors go into to the final match of their regular campaign this evening when they face Connacht at Scotstoun, but Franco Smith says he's been planning for six more games this season.

Warriors already know they have at least another two games to play after this evening - a European Challenge Cup semi-final against Scarlets and a URC quarter-final against an opponent still to be confirmed. The other three games would mean the Scotstoun club reaching the finals of both the Challenge Cup and the URC.

Once again, Smith has made changes from the team that edged out Scarlets at a sodden Scotstoun last weekend.

Smith said rotating the team would keep everyone fresh and on their toes going into the knockout matches. "We need everyone to be match fit, everyone to be injury free, everyone to be enthusiastic, even in training during the week," said Smith in The Scotsman. "I've done a lot of finals in my life, and I've used that experience to have enough depth in important moments. I owe that to the players and to the club to bring that experience. It's knock-out rugby from next week onwards."

Glasgow face Scarlets in Wales next Saturday in the Challenge Cup semis but Smith also has one eye on the URC final. "In my mind there are six games still ahead," he said. "Planning went into six weeks. In six weeks you can completely recondition, completely fall out of form. That is the reason why there is a plan in place going forward and to rotate the players. There is a plan and we started with that plan six weeks ago to make sure everybody is healthy, fit and well prepared as we pick up steam going into the next few weeks."

Thos evening's result will not alter Glasgow's fourth-place position in the URC table but Smith says the game is still has great importance as Warriors look to extend their unbeaten record at Scotstoun to 17 matches. "It's got huge significance," said the coach. "We don't want to lose at home, we want to take momentum into the next weeks. We're not taking our foot off the pedal. Winning is a habit that needs to be nurtured and grown every week. We still need to improve."

Smith also reported good news on Glasgow's injury list, with Sintu Manjezi, Sebastian Cancelliere, Sione Tuipulotu and George Turner all close to a return.