Valiant Warriors march on
GLASGOW Warriors go into their Champions Cup quarter-final against Saracens on the back of Saturday’s moraleboosting win over Connacht – and captain-for-thenight Peter Horne is sure his team can upset the odds against the London team.
A try minutes from time by veteran winger Sean Lamont gave the home team the bonus point in their 35-24 win to help keep their play-off hopes alive.
Horne knows the match on Sunday against the English and European champions will be tough, and the Warriors have been given no chance by some people, but he is encouraged by memories of his side being written off before matches they have gone on to win.
“We’ve had that for years, but it doesn’t really matter,” Horne said after the game at Scotstoun. “In our dressing room we believe we’ve got the firepower to beat anyone. So we’ll be going down there with the bit between our teeth looking to turn them over.
“We’re in a great place. It’s great to have the Scotland boys back. They really lifted training last week. It was great to see them all out having fun, smiles on their faces.
“It’s a massive week. We’re not celebrating being in that quarter-final. We’re in this competition to win it, and we need to make sure we turn up and put in a good performance.”
After being out through injury earlier in the year, Horne is match-fit and getting back to his best form, but whether that will be enough for a starting place against Saracens remains to be seen.
“When I got injured I said my goal was to try to get back involved for this quarter-final,” he said. “Every day of my rehab it was in the back of my mind.
“That’s me had four games in a row now. I’m feeling better. Every week I’m improving..”
Jonny Gray, Ryan Wilson, Tommy Seymour and Zander Fagerson are all expected to be available this weekend after being rested on Saturday, but there are doubts over Tim Swinson and Gordon Reid.
Swinson was sent off in the second half for going into a tackle with a swinging arm and will miss the Saracens match unless he wins an appeal, while Reid was taken off with a head knock so faces fitness tests before being cleared to play.
The Warriors trailed 13-15 at half-time against Connacht, with hooker Corey Flynn grabbing their only try of the first 40. But they got stronger the longer the game went on, and tries from half-backs Finn Russell and Ali Price put them in command before Lamont rounded things off. Russell added three conversions and a penalty to his personal tally, while Horne was on target with a penalty after the stand-off had gone off.
“There were a lot of positives against Connacht, but also areas where we have to get better,” head coach Gregor Townsend said. “Another week of preparation will help us a lot.
“We can spring a surprise [against Saracens]. We’ve got a belief that we can go down there and win. We have to have that mindset.” best drivers at the top.”
Hamilton appeared to be in charge after beating Vettel on the short run down to turn one.
The Briton began to eke out a lead but pitted for fresh tyres at the end of lap 17 and rejoined behind Max Verstappen.
The triple world champion, could not find a way round the Red Bull driver. Vettel stopped six laps later and emerged with Verstappen and Hamilton behind him. Hamilton never came close to catching him.
“It is going to be a close race this season but I truly believe we can beat them,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas finished third while home favourite Daniel Ricciardo stopped with a mechanical issue midway through.