Glasgow won a thrilling quarterfinal 5-3 on tries with two of those coming from the on-fire Steyn in an outstanding display of attack and defense. The Scotstoun side took the lead with a powerful attempt, while he also prevented a certain Connacht goal in the first half. The Warriors will face Munster or the Bulls in the semi-final at Murrayfield next Saturday. If Glasgow reach the final, the match will also be at the national stadium.
The hosts turned the game on its head at the break at 7-7, as Glasgow’s Patrick Schickerling cancelled out an early score from visiting skipper Cian Prendergast, before blasting the men from the west of Ireland with two tries in the first ten minutes of the second half. Josh McKay and the towering Steyn hit Connacht with a double quick blow.
But the guests were made of serious stuff. They were always alive despite shipping injuries in the middle of the game and a try from Dave Heffernan shortly after the hour, along with a sin-binning for Glasgow’s Alex Samuel, made it a seven-pointer at 21-14. If those were anxious days for the home team they handled them superbly. And in the 64th minute, four minutes after Heffernan had reduced the deficit, Jare Oguntibeju picked up at the side of a ruck and skipped away to score under the posts.
The running style of the massive lock was peculiar to say the least but it was an important intervention, made all the more so by the fact that after Sam Gilbert had put over the extras for the third time, replacement prop Finlay Bealham pounced within minutes to cut the deficit back to seven. Steyn went over for his second six minutes later to keep the tit-for-tat scoring of tries going. The conversion was missed, for once. Connacht were tough opposition. A fantastic run of form in the last few months of the campaign had seen them shoot up the URC table and into the final knockout berth.
They had a formidable job on their hands in the backyard of the table toppers with their injury list but got off to a fantastic start attacking the Glasgow line in the first minute. The Warriors survived the first attack, but not the second. Bundee Aki was in the middle of it, Josh Ioane roaring up behind. Prendergast was beaten over a fast ball. Gilbert’s 7-0 had Scotstoun almost out of earshot.
Connacht coach Stuart Lancaster, father of Glasgow fly-half Dan, said during the week that his team played with freedom and had nothing to lose They had the best defence in the competition and a great try-scoring record in their impressive run-in. To Glasgow this always seemed a dangerous game. But they did answer. Schickerling’s close-range goal was all about constant pressure and being patient for the right time. It was level after George Horne converted after the prop’s dive over.
Glasgow benefit penalties
Early penalties were going against Connacht and tighthead Sam Illo was sin-binned for offside just after Glasgow had scored. Matt Fagerson’s early break from a maul saw Johnny Matthews’ try chalked off, but for a brief moment it seemed the favourites had punished them in double quick time. There was still time left on the sin-binning, time they didn’t use. Connacht looked the more dangerous team in those minutes, as the powerful Ioane charged downfield after a spillage in Glasgow.
Steyn made a brilliant defensive play to chase down the fly-half but the hosts still had to improve. Clearly that job was done when Ben Murphy was emptied in the tackle. With Glasgow gone, with the threat gone, Scotstoun found its voice. Naturally, the Warriors can catch fire at any time, and skipper Steyn started the fire early in the second half.
He was a major presence the entire evening, but he was even more so when he started the 50-22 that gave Glasgow the lead. He began, and he completed it. After the line-out rumbling had stopped, Sione Tuipulotu passed to Steyn, who sprinted into the space and across the line, taking out a few defenders.
Glasgow got their noses in front thanks to a successful convert. Soon after, Fagerson scored, but the attempt was rightfully disallowed for a second time. They were able to pass forward. The Scotstoun audience was on their toes as the barrage of tries began, but Steyn’s second touchdown, which extended the lead to twelve points, put an end to it. So, with the aroma of glory in their nostrils, to Murrayfield next Saturday.
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