Glasgow Warriors: Gregor Townsend targets '20% improvement' for Leicester
- Published
Glasgow made several breaks but were unable to breach Munster's try-line
Glasgow will have to play "20% better" in their final European Champions Cup pool match at Leicester if they are to secure a maiden quarter-final, says head coach Gregor Townsend.
Warriors lost 14-12 to Pool One leaders Munster in their penultimate fixture.
Townsend's side must win at Welford Road next Saturday, 21 January, to have a chance of progressing as one of the three best runners-up.
"The game next week was always going to be the one we'd have to win," he said.
"We know we still have a big opportunity to go through if we win. We'll have to play much better (than we did against Munster), because we can play much better.
"When you play away from home, there are disadvantages that you have, and that means we'll have to play 20% better next week, but I believe we can do it."
Munster's victory means they have an unassailable six-point lead at the top of the group with one round remaining, and could secure a home draw for the last eight with victory against Racing 92 at Thomond Park.
As things stand, Glasgow are the second-best of the teams in second spot with 14 points, behind Wasps, who have 17, and ahead of Montpellier, who have 11.
Francis Saili scored the crucial try for Munster, as they secured top spot in Pool One
Townsend's side led for much of the Scotstoun encounter, but Stuart Hogg's late yellow card meant they played the final 10 minutes with 14 men, and the stretched home defence succumbed to Francis Saili's decisive try.
"The final score tells the story - they got the points when they had opportunities at the right times in the game," Townsend told BBC Scotland.
"We didn't play at our best in the first half, but we were up against a very good side and it was quite close, and in the second half we upped our game.
"I thought we put much more pace into our attack, maybe didn't get the rewards, rather than just three points on a couple of occasions.
"But in the end they showed their ability, their togetherness in attack, they really worked hard in that 22 area, put us under pressure and they got the points. They deserved their win. We know we can be better, but they deserved their win."
Chris Paterson, Scotland's most capped male player, on BBC Radio Scotland |
|---|
"I don't believe Leicester are as good as Munster. If Glasgow play with that intensity, and are a little bit smarter at times, I believe they can go down there and win. Welford Road is a small pitch, so they will have to work even harder to find that space. They just need to be a bit smarter and stay calm once they have broken the line." |
Glasgow might have snatched a dramatic victory in the final minutes, when they won back possession in the Munster 22, but opted to keep the ball in hand rather than drop a goal to regain the lead.
"Whether we would've got it or not, who knows, but I thought they defended really well," said Townsend. "They had the edge in that area, defending close to their line and also when they attacked close to our line.
"They hit hard - their tackling's probably the most impressive part of their defence - but there was space out there. There's always space on a rugby field and we were finding it much more in the second half.
"But their scramble defence was good, and I think we just needed to make more of the opportunities when we got in behind them."