Glasgow ready for 'all or nothing' Stormers

Glasgow proved too strong for the Stomers at Scotstoun in November

URC play-offs: Glasgow Warriors v Stormers

Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow Date: Saturday, 8 June Kick-off: 19:35 BST

Coverage: Follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app

Glasgow Warriors face the Stormers at Scotstoun on Saturday night in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final.

Warriors finished fourth in the table to secure home advantage, with the South African side fifth.

Champions and then runners-up in their first two seasons in the URC, the Stormers present a formidable challenge.

Glasgow are looking to improve on last year’s showing when they were knocked out at this stage by eventual champions Munster at Scotstoun.

BBC Sport Scotland spoke to Chris Paterson, Scotland’s record points-scorer, to analyse where the last-eight tie will be won and lost.

Form guide

Glasgow were riding high at the top of the table with two rounds to go in the regular season until dropping to fourth after a damaging defeat away to the Lions.

Even a bonus-point win over Zebre, albeit one in which they struggled at times against the league’s bottom side, was not enough to push them back up.

Since a shock home defeat by Ospreys in April, the Stormers have picked up steam with four straight victories.

"It's good for Glasgow that it's now knockout rugby," Paterson said.

"The frustration for the players and the coaches will be the Zebre game, maybe a reaction to a wee bit of pressure as well as trying to find their game, but they got there in the end.

"A new focus at this time is really important. Look at the form of teams last year. Munster went on that run of three away wins in the knockouts, but they had three wins before that as well. It's important to time your run."

'Pick of the quarter-finals'

These two have played out some entertaining encounters in the past few seasons, with Warriors prevailing 20-9 in their most recent meeting at Scotstoun in November.

Glasgow have a perfect home record this season and have won 24 consecutive regular season URC matches on home soil.

"It's the pick of the quarter-finals," Paterson said. "It's the one that is probably hardest to call because of the quality Stormers have.

"If Glasgow find that attacking edge, they will really scare the Stormers, that's what they can do.

"The game in November, Glasgow's depth and attack was exceptional because the Stormers were flying off the line.

"A couple of the early breaks and Glasgow were just holding real depth in the middle part of the field and getting around the outside. And Johnny Matthews scored as usual.

"There’s definitely the blueprint there for Glasgow in that performance."

'Attack, attack, attack'

Kyle Steyn is back to captain Glasgow against Stormers

Both sides place an emphasis on attacking, expansive rugby, with Glasgow first and Stormers second in the standings for clean breaks and defenders beaten this season.

"They both want to play quickly,” Paterson said. "The Stormers, in some ways, are all or nothing. They'll just go for it.

"When it's all, it's exceptional. It's brilliant to watch. It's dynamic and explosive.

"Mannie Libbock will be probably running around at 10, pulling some things in the midfield.

"They're a quality side, but so are Glasgow, especially with that Scotstoun crowd behind them.

"They're both very attack-minded. I don't think that will change dramatically because it's a knockout fixture. I think it's in their DNA.

"They believe, quite rightly, that's the way to play in order to give them the best chance of success."

'Glasgow can use frustration of last year'

Glasgow were on course for an excellent campaign last season until their challenge hit the buffers in the final weeks.

The were favourites in their home quarter-final against Munster, but Tom Jordan’s red card after 25 minutes contributed to a 14-5 defeat.

A superb run in the European Challenge Cup ended in bitterly disappointing fashion as Franco Smith’s side were routed 43-19 by French side Toulon in Dublin.

"Losing at home against Munster probably hurt more in some ways than the Challenge Cup final, because it was at home," Paterson said.

"Putting that one right this weekend becomes really important. I think they'll use some of that frustration.

"They were favourites last year and they will probably be favourites again with the home advantage.

"It's important to get over these mental hurdles, but the way you get over it is by executing what you've worked hard to do.

"There will be a brilliant atmosphere at Scotstoun. Let’s hope it’s a cracker."

Team news

Scotland wing Kyle Steyn returns from a brief injury to captain Glasgow, replacing Facundo Cordero in one of five changes.

Scott Cummings comes in at the expense of Max Williamson to start alongside Richie Gray in the second row, while Josh McKay replaces Kyle Rowe at full-back.

Behind the scrum, George Horne and Tom Jordan are the preferred half-back pairing as Jamie Dobie takes a place on the bench and Duncan Weir drops out of the squad.

Hooker George Turner will make his 100th appearance for the club if he is called upon from the bench.

Only five players - fly-half Manie Libbok, scrum-half Herschel Jantjies, locks Ruben van Heerden and Jason Dixon and loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani - retain their place in the Stormers starting line-up that beat Lions 29-24 last time out.

Captain Salmaan Moerat is among those to return and is back to bolster the scrum that is without Evan Roos through a concussion picked up in training.

Glasgow Warriors: McKay, Cancelliere, Jones, Tuipulotu, Steyn (C), Jordan, Horne; Bhatti, Matthews, Z Fagerson, Cummings, Gray, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Turner, McBeth, Kebble, Williamson, Ferrie, Venter, Dobie, Thompson.

Stormers: Gelant, Hartzenberg, Du Plessis, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Loader, Libbok, Jantjies, Harris, Dweba, Malherbe, Moerat (C), Van Heerden, Engelbrecht, Dixon, Dayimani.

Replacements: Venter, Sithole, Fouche, Smith, Theunissen, Evans, De Wet, Du Plessis.