Franco Smith reflects on epic comeback
REACTION: Scotstoun witnessed one of the most famous evenings in Glasgow Warriors history, as Franco Smith’s men roared back from a 0-21 half-time deficit to claim an unforgettable 28-21 victory over Stade Toulousain.
The atmosphere turned supersonic as the match entered the final 10 minutes, and the Warriors hit the front to complete a monumental turnaround.
Having been at the forefront all night, Gregor Hiddleston was the man to bring Scotstoun to its feet, the hooker steering an unstoppable maul over the whitewash for the bonus-point score.
Once again, Adam Hastings was impeccable from the tee, bisecting the uprights to give his side a seven-point lead.
It was now time for the Warriors’ defence to stand up and be counted, a task they took to with aplomb. Whether it was Stafford McDowall levelling his man in midfield, or Gregor Hiddleston and Rory Darge making a menace of themselves at the breakdown, each Glasgow action was roared to the rafters by the Warrior Nation as the clock ticked down towards zero.
One final massive defensive set would end with Jamie Dobie and Alex Craig ushering Teddy Thomas into touch, Player of the Match-winning Hastings leading the celebrations as Scotstoun descended into pandemonium.
This was Glasgow’s night as the roars echoed around the stadium – roars that will echo all the way to Hampden Park next weekend.
Here is what coach Franco Smith told the BBC afterward: “I’m grateful for the fans coming out and glad we could make them happy tonight.
“I agree, it was loud. That is the way we want to see Scotstoun even more, so I’m glad we could do it today.
“I had no doubt. We had, in the first half, limited possession. We turned it over too easily. Nine turnovers before half-time. We couldn’t get through four phases.
“We didn’t ask them to defend enough, so we knew that if we get the ball in our hands, if we get a bit of territory, we can ask questions. I was confident that we will score points.
“Momentum in this game is everything. We identified it, we acted on it, but we stayed in the process, which is for me more important.
“The physical application tonight was fantastic. They believed in the plan and the way they acted on their belief. I’m really proud of that.
“We timed the bench right, I think. It was more or less the plan to bring George [Horne] and Gregor [Brown] as an extra carrier to get their speed up a little bit more. They did their job well and then the boys finishing it off in the end was fresh and eager at the right time of the game.
“It does give us confidence, but it also creates expectation and expectation can blame one. For now, we’re just going to focus on the next job and the process and use the confidence to grow and progress.”
Additional source @GlasgowWarriors
