'We don’t want to feel like this again' - Kyle Steyn's warning to URC title contenders
SPOTLIGHT: Glasgow wing Kyle Steyn sent out a stark warning to fellow United Rugby Championship title-contending teams following their Champions Cup quarterfinal exit to Toulon.
The Warriors were firm favourites for the first time to progress to a maiden Champions Cup semifinal after going unbeaten in the pool stage, including a massive comeback win over Toulouse and topping the URC log.
Unfortunately, Toulon, who endured a horrid season in the Top 14, upset Franco Smith’s troops at Scotstoun Stadium (19-22) to end Glasgow’s Champions Cup dreams.
Steyn admitted that the team is disappointed, but will shift their focus and energy to the URC and will want to avoid suffering the same fate come the play-offs.
“Everyone’s gutted. It’s difficult not to reflect on what’s been put into this jersey this season and what that’s meant to everybody and how much hard work has gone in from players and coaches.
“We desperately wanted more for this campaign, and it’s not to be. I think that’s credit to Toulon because they’ve got that championship DNA, and I think they showed it more consistently than we did.
“We’ve been in this position before where this tournament’s ended for us, and there are lots of guys that have learned a good lesson.
“We’ve got a core of this group that’s been on this journey since Franco’s been here that understands what you need this time of year, and now all the energy will be going into making sure we try our best to not let another chance slip by in the URC.”
“I think if today [Saturday] showed you anything, the way the pool stage has gone and then the knockout, you just don’t look further than the week ahead,” Steyn said.
The Warriors will have two tough assignments on their tour to South Africa.
They’ll face the Lions this coming weekend at Ellis Park before travelling to Cape Town for a potential top-of-the-table clash against the Stormers.
Steyn said the Warriors will take the lessons from the Toulon defeat, starting with the Lions, who are “one of the toughest away games in the league.”
“We’ve got the South Africa trip, and then we come back to Cardiff [at home] and Ulster [away, in their final league game], and that’s what the message is going to be.
“It’s about putting everything into every week now and every training day, because we don’t want to feel like this again.
“We’ve got a good enough group that’s been through enough. We’ve lost to Toulon in knockout games before [a European Challenge Cup Final in 2023], and we’ve learned lessons.
“As leaders, we’ll sit and look at how we try to adapt to that on the field and get ourselves back on track.
“There’s no point dwelling now on what the occasion did to us. It’s about making sure that we’re ready for next week first and foremost.
“Lions away is probably one of the toughest away games in the league, so we’ll take those learnings and turn them into energy for that game.
“It’s a really difficult tour. They’re difficult places to go and play, and that’s exactly what we need in the build-up for the [URC] knockout stages.
“It’s something we’ve learned under Franco that you take everything head-on. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”
