A Kyle Steyn-inspired Glasgow Warriors fought their way into the semi-final of the United Rugby Championship after a stiff test at Scotstoun against the underdogs from Connacht.
Glasgow won an enthralling quarter-final by five tries to three, the on-fire Steyn getting two of them in a performance of pure class in attack and defence. Not only did he cross twice but he also prevented a certain Connacht score in the first half with a lung-busting effort that brought Scotstoun to its feet.
The Warriors will play the Bulls or Munster in the semi-final at Murrayfield next Saturday – and the national stadium will also be the venue should Glasgow progress to the final.
After turning around at the break level at 7-7 – Glasgow’s Patrick Schickerling cancelled out an early score from visiting captain Cian Prendergast – the hosts hit the men from the west of Ireland with two tries in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
Steyn, a towering presence, and Josh McKay hit Connacht with a rapid double whammy.
The visitors were made of serious stuff, though. Even when shipping injuries mid-game they were always alive and Dave Heffernan’s try just after the hour – coupled with the sin-binning of Glasgow’s Alex Samuel – made it a seven-pointer at 21-14.
If those were nervy moments for the home side then they dealt with them excellently. Four minutes after Heffernan narrowed the gap, Jare Oguntibeju picked up at the side of a ruck and skipped away to score at the posts.
The big lock’s running style is quirky, to say the least, but it was a critical intervention, all the more so since replacement prop, Finlay Bealham, pounced within minutes to bring the gap back down to seven, once Sam Gilbert had put over the extras for the third time.
A game of try-scoring tit-for-tat carried on when Steyn went over for his second six minutes from time. For once, the conversion was missed.
Glasgow saw it out. They were not at their vintage best – they’ll need to find more gears if they are to win this thing – but they had game-breaking class when they needed it most and Steyn embodied it.
Connacht were rugged opponents. They had blasted up the URC table and into the final knockout spot courtesy of a terrific run of form in the latter months of the campaign.
They had a huge task in the backyard of the table toppers – especially given their injury list – but they began wonderfully, firing away at the Glasgow line in the opening minute. The Warriors survived the first assault but did not survive the second.
Bundee Aki was at the heart of it, then Josh Ioane blasted up in his wake. Some quick ball and Prendergast went over. Gilbert made it 7-0 and Scotstoun was ever so slightly muted.
Connacht coach, Stuart Lancaster, father of Glasgow’s fly-half, Dan, said during the week that they had nothing to lose and they played like a side with a sense of freedom. They had a fine try-scoring record in their strong run-in and it was married with the best defence in the tournament. This always looked like a dicey game for Glasgow.
They responded, though. Schickerling’s score from close-range was all about a build-up of pressure and a lot of patience to wait for the moment to strike. The prop hurled himself over, George Horne converted and it was level.
Connacht were giving up penalties early on and tighthead Sam Illo was binned for offside soon after Glasgow scored. For a moment it looked like the favourites had punished them in quick order but Johnny Matthews’ try was ruled out after Matt Fagerson broke early from a maul.
Still, they had time left on the sin-binning, time that they did nothing with. It was Connacht who posed the biggest threat in those minutes, the influential Ioane surging downfield after a Glasgow spillage.
The fly-half was hunted down by Steyn – a brilliant defensive play – but Glasgow still had work to do. That work was done, emphatically, when Ben Murphy was emptied in the tackle. Glasgow cleared the danger and Scotstoun found its voice.
Glasgow can catch fire at any moment, of course. And early in the second half it was the captain Steyn who did the igniting.
Steyn was a huge presence all night, never more so when launching the 50-22 that was the catalyst for the score that put Glasgow ahead. He started and he finished it. Once the lineout rumble had stalled, Sione Tuipulotu took out a couple of defenders with his pass to Steyn, who darted into the space and over the line.
The conversion was good and Glasgow had their noses in front. Fagerson scored soon after but for a second time the try was ruled out, correctly. A forward pass did for them.
The try deluge kicked in and the Scotstoun crowd were kept on their toes until Steyn settled everything down with his second try that stretched the gap out to a dozen points.
To Murrayfield next Saturday, then, with a scent of glory in their nostrils.
