'We were disappointing': Smith rates the SA trip
REACTION: Franco Smith did not mince his words in his assessment of Glasgow Warriors’ 12-48 defeat to the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship Round 16 clash at DHL Stadium.
The result saw Glasgow Warriors relinquish the top spot to the Stormers, who outscored Smith’s side six tries to two for the bonus-point win.
The defeat came on the back of a 12-54 loss to the Lions at Ellis Park.
Despite not fielding his best side over the past two weeks, conceding more than 100 points will be a concern for Smith.
“The last thing I want to do is to make excuses in front of the media.
“This is the tough part of the season. We knew we’d have to redefine our form after the Six Nations.”
Smith insisted the heavy defeat could prove a timely wake-up call.
“To come down here was always going to be tough. I would lie if I said we didn’t have an eye on next week.
“But this has happened at the right time for us. I think you can’t hide from the fact that there are one or two things that need to be adjusted.”
The South African sides, he added, exposed Glasgow’s shortcomings with clinical precision.
“They are good teams. You give them a sniff; they take it away.
“I think we weren’t allowed to play the way we wanted to play in the last two weeks, and compliments to the South African game.
“So, it is what it is. I’m not going to make more of it. We were disappointing. We are disappointed.”
A return to Scotland, he believes, could be exactly what his squad needs to reset ahead of the two final URC rounds and the play-offs.
“We need cold and rain for a bit. We haven’t seen that for a while. Sleep in our own beds and see our wives and girlfriends. That will already be important.
“We are looking forward to getting back to Scotland.”
Despite slipping to second on the table, Smith remains adamant Glasgow are still title contenders.
“I’ve got no doubt, I’ve got no doubt,” the former Cheetahs head coach told reporters when asked about his team’s title pursuit.
“I know the Stormers still have to tour. The Lions must also tour in the next two weeks, so you never know what happens there.
“And I will also remind myself and then everybody else that the log leaders never won a competition, so we never know.”
