Glasgow Warriors 33
Connacht Rugby 21
Firm favourites Glasgow Warriors fulfilled the expectations when they overcame Connacht in the BKT URC quarter-final in Scotland.
The league leaders were always in control, but Connacht will feel they let this opportunity slip. Despite being the underdogs, Stuart Lancaster’s side delivered three tries, closing the gap to seven points twice in the second half, but the Scottish outfit finished with flourish, scoring four tries to seal their place in the semi-finals.
It will not detract from Connacht’s success in achieving Champions Cup rugby next season, but they will be hurting after this loss with high hopes of sprinting a surprise, and having trained this season with new intensity, it ensured Connacht maintained their pace and discipline throughout.
Defence was always going to be key, but after half time Glasgow changed their approach and started to get across the gainline with more regularity, and it made a difference.
An intense battle in the opening half Connacht were full value for their half-time score - seven apiece, but the Scottish outfit had more attacking options, particularly in Kyle Steyn, George Horne, and Sione Tuipolutu, and they made it count in the second half.
Connacht were impressive in the opening half against the current URC champions, and with 14 men for 10 minutes, they came away level 7-7 at half time, ensuring Lancaster’s men were still in this game with huge hope.
It was helped by Lancaster’s men taking control in the early stages - a second minute penalty kicked to touch, resulting in the opening try. Darragh Murray controlled the line-out Glasgow came out in the second half on the front foot, and although Bundee Aki stymied a promising home attack, the Scottish outfit took control, from a line-out and attacking move. However it was a superb Steyn kick that gave the home side an opportunity five metres from the line, and after the forwards attacked the line, a superb pass to Steyn gifted the winger space to run in to ensure the home side took a 14-7 lead after 46 minutes with Dan Lancaster adding the extras. It gave the Scottish side the impetus, and there was massive relief for Connacht when Glasgow’s Fagerson were denied a try for a forward pass from Dempsey. However the Scottish outfit looked to be in control, and although Connacht regained possession, they lacked the cutting edge, a forward pass not helping their attempts to take control.
Glasgow continued to build pressure, sharper in attack than the visitors and with the upper hand in the scrum, they had Connacht under pressure. A solid scrum had Connacht under pressure before George Horne supplied Josh McKay who ran in for a third try, to put them in front 21-7.
Playing with confidence the home side was in control, and Connacht needed to gain possession and territory. A penalty helped to with 20 minutes to go, and they needed to make it pay. And with another yellow card for Glasgow, delivered. It took a TMO review, but eventually Connacht were awarded the try by Dave Heffernan, with replacement Sam Gilbert adding the extras to close the gap to 21-14.
However it proved costly for Josh Ioane, a key distributor in Connacht’s game, who was forced off, and it got worse for Lancaster’s side when replacement Olijare Oguntibeju broke from a ruck to score, without a hand laid on him, extending the lead to 28-14 with some 12 minutes remaining.
Devine did his best to add some impetus to the attack, bringing Connacht within hards of the line. With Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce, Hurley-Langton, and Sean O’Brien battling for the line, eventually Bealham burrowed through after 71 minutes to score, with Gilbert converting.
It brought Connacht within seven points of Glasgow, but their failure to control possession handed the impetus back to the home side.
A Glasgow line-out and maul gave them another chance to secure the victory, and they did it through Dan Lancaster who supplied Kyle Steyn with a long looping pass to scoredin the corner, Lancaster missing the conversion.
With Glasgow leading 33-21 lead, and some six minutes remaining, it was always going to be a difficult recovery, and Connacht will feel they let this opportunity go, despite playing the top team in the league. However, Connacht can reflect on the first half of 2026 with pride after a run of eight wins from nine in the URC, and can look forward to Champions Cup next season.
Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay, Kyle Steyn (CAPT ), Stafford McDowall, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Rowe, Dan Lancaster, George Horne; Patrick Schickerling, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson, Scott Cummings, Alex Samuel, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey
Replacements: Gregor Hiddleston, Rory Sutherland, Sam Talakai, Jare Oguntibeju, Euan Ferrie, Sione Vailanu, Jack Oliver, Ollie Smith
Connacht Rugby: Sam Gilbert, Shane Jennings, John Devine, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton, Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy, Billy Bohan, Dylan Tierney-Martin, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (CAPT ), Shamus Hurley-Langton, Paul Boyle
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Peter Dooley, Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce, Sean O’Brien, Matthew Devine, Hugh Gavin, Sean Naughton.
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales ).
