Glasgow wary of URC giants 'coming to form at the right time'

Scott Forrest has called on Glasgow to banish their recent setbacks by coming to the fore in Saturday’s top-of-the-table showdown with Stormers.

The United Rugby Championship leaders are reeling after their Champions Cup defeat against Toulon was followed by a 54-12 thrashing at the hands of Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Warriors have a chance to reassert their authority in the race to secure home play-off ties, however, when they visit second-placed Stormers, who suffered a frustrating loss of their own at home to Connacht at the weekend.

“Despite not performing well against Lions and not getting many points in that game, we still go to Cape Town on Saturday top of the log,” said assistant coach Forrest.

“So that type of motivation kind of takes care of itself. We’ve played a lot against the Stormers over the last couple of years, we know exactly what we’re up against, a very physical team with a lot of flair in their backline.

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United Rugby Championship

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04:45

25 Apr 26

Glasgow

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“These are the games that in some ways are quite easy for the players to get motivated for because it’s the ones everyone wants to play in.

“I think Leinster (currently third) are coming to form at the right time and they’ll probably look at their run-in and feel that they’ve got an opportunity (to finish top).

“But I think the difference for ourselves and Stormers, and certainly the conversation that we are having is that right now it’s in our hands. It’s within our gift to finish the top of the log.”

Glasgow are set to restore several of their senior players this weekend, including captain Kyle Steyn, while stand-off Adam Hastings comes back into contention after sitting out the Lions match due to a head injury.

“Obviously we rotated quite heavily last weekend for the Lions and then the plan was always to then change back,” said Forrest.

“In terms of boys that are injured, George Horne, Scott Cummings and Matt Fagerson are still not 100 per cent but we’re going to give them as much time as possible.

“Anyone that can be involved is going to be good for us, so we’ve held off naming the team just to give these players as much time as possible to be fit and available.”

Forrest also confirmed that Sione Vailanu is set to leave Glasgow this summer amid reports that the Tongan back-rower is being lined up for a move to Biarritz.

“Unfortunately it’s one of those ones that, just around the balance of our squad, there’s a good chance that Sione will move on at the end of the season,” he said.