Glasgow head coach Franco Smith insists he’s studying nothing into strategies Leinster have misplaced confidence and are affected by “efficiency nervousness” as they put together to sort out Warriors in Saturday’s opening URC semi-final in Dublin.
The defending champions head throughout the Irish Sea with a spring of their step having put their very own sticky late-season patch behind them with a thumping 36-18 quarter-final victory over the Stormers final week.
Leinster in the meantime, having seen their hopes of a fifth European crown crushed for one more 12 months with a shock Champions Cup semi-final house defeat by Northampton, laboured to an unconvincing 33-21 win over Scarlets in their very own last-eight encounter.
Former Leinster hooker Bernard Jackman, a revered media analyst, believes a sequence of high-profile failures – three successive ultimate losses within the Champions Cup earlier than the most recent Saints setback, three straight semi-final defeats within the URC since their final title in 2021 – and the burden of ending their trophy drought is seeping into their performances.
“Their defence is starting to show creaks and attack-wise they are struggling to execute,” Jackman told the BBC Scotland rugby podcast this week. “The gamers don’t appear to be enjoying with any actual anger. In precise reality, it seems like their confidence is gone. It’s superb what a defeat can do to you.”
But it’s only eight weeks since Leinster crushed an under-strength Glasgow 52-0 within the Champions Cup quarter-finals and likewise beat Warriors 13-5 – once more on the Aviva Stadium – in a low-key ultimate recreation of the common URC season three weeks in the past.
Smith is adamant any speak of Leinster’s current struggles is not going to distract his facet from the dimensions of the duty at hand on Saturday as they try to succeed in a second straight ultimate.
“We completely ignore all of that,” he mentioned. “It’s received nothing to do with what’s going to occur between the strains there. I realise there’s a variety of speak. In the event that they learn it, it’s as much as them.
“We count on a group that gave us 50 factors earlier this season. So I’m not going to be lured into any lure concerning that. I do know that they wish to carry out effectively, so we count on every part from them.
“I don’t wish to name us the underdogs. I believe they’re the favourites. They’ve been enjoying effectively the entire season. Everyone knows what it could imply to them to finish on the high of this competitors. They’ve received such a great facet. They’ve received a great finances, a great academy system.
“They’ve been on high of the sport for eight, 9 years. We all know that they’re the favourites. We’re simply going to go on the market and provides ourselves the perfect likelihood.”
Having crushed Stormers at house within the quarter-finals for a second straight 12 months, Glasgow are travelling an identical path if they’re to repeat their title win of 12 months in the past, with a semi-final in Eire – final 12 months they upset Munster at Thomond Park – and a doable ultimate in South Africa, the place they surprised the Bulls in Pretoria.
However Smith insists they don’t seem to be seeking to these exceptional triumphs for inspiration.
“We all know it’s a brand new problem,” he mentioned. “I believe the arrogance that’s within the group that this street has been walked earlier than is sufficient. If we carry on trying again, we is not going to see what’s forward. We’re extra centered on the brand new problem. Leinster will not be Munster. The Aviva will not be Limerick. There’s sufficient change for us to adapt our strategy once more.”
4 of Leinster’s 12 British and Irish Lions picks can be lacking, with full-back Hugo Keenan and openside Josh van der Flier becoming a member of prop Tadgh Furlong and centre Garry Ringrose on the sidelines. The hosts are additionally lacking a two-time Lion in Robbie Henshaw, so Jamie Osborne will proceed at exterior centre alongside Jordie Barrett.
Reverse Osborne can be Sione Tuipulotu, who Smith has opted – within the continued absence of Huw Jones – to maneuver out one place with Tom Jordan additionally switching from fly-half to inside centre to accommodate the “completely different skill-set” of Adam Hastings at 10.
“Clearly, we didn’t know their group at first of the week, so it wasn’t deliberately completed that manner,” Smith mentioned when requested if the 13 channel was one Glasgow may search to use.
“I believe they’ve received adequate high quality. You’ve received Jordie Barrett there and Jamie Osborne has performed earlier than and is trialled and examined. I don’t assume they’ve received a scarcity of depth in that a part of the sport.
“In a semi-final like this, sure, small margins are vital, however they’ve received high quality gamers. They’ve received depth. They’ve proven that the entire season by beating all people else as effectively with a second group of gamers. I don’t assume they’re weakened in any respect.”
Within the continued absence of Zander Fagerson, who has missed Glasgow’s final six video games with a calf drawback which seems more likely to preserve him sidelined till he joins up with the Lions, Fin Richardson faces the largest check of his profession at tighthead.
The 26-year-old former Scotland U20 cap, whose earlier senior expertise got here in mortgage spells at Plymouth Albion and Cornish Pirates whereas in Exeter’s academy earlier than becoming a member of Warriors final summer season, has began seven video games this season, the final towards Leinster lately earlier than lacking the quarter-final with a thumb harm.
“He performed very well the final time towards Leinster and scrummed effectively towards Andrew Porter within the earlier recreation, so he merited the chance,” added Smith in explaining why Murphy Walker, who was changed after 33 minutes on his first begin of the season towards Stormers and was struggling with a “pressure” earlier within the week, had dropped out.
“Murphy hasn’t had a lot time within the saddle. He performed the sport final week due to the need that Fin wasn’t able to play that recreation. He did effectively however we’ve got a match, prepared participant that’s performed already in that [Leinster] recreation and understands what the risk is.”
