Calm heads can inspire Glasgow to Pro12 title

GLASGOW WARRIORS have always had players with enough quality to win the Pro12 title — but they often lacked the temperament to deal with the big occasion.

Thankfully, that was shown to be no longer the case when stand- off Finn Russell kicked a quite brilliant winning conversion under huge pressure against Ulster i n the Play-Off semi-final.

In last season’s Final, Glasgow froze and didn’t even score a point in the second half as Leinster easily beat them 34-12 in Dublin.

However, don’t expect them to be rabbits i n the headlights in Saturday’s Final against Munster.

This Glasgow team now knows how to grind out results and how to deal with the pressure of big occasions.

The biggest change between now and then is that Gregor Townsend’s men have the experience not to panic when the chips are down. Ulster were the better side for long periods at Scotstoun last Friday night but the Warriors did not lose their composure or abandon their tactical plan.

With Russell (pictured) pulling the strings in attack, they remained calm until their patience was rewarded with the try from winger DTH van der Merwe that levelled the scores with five minutes left. Russell then did the rest with his nerveless winning kick.

In so many crucial league games this season, there have been examples of Glasgow digging deep in the latter stages to come away with a gutsy victory.

A stoppage-time penalty from Stuart Hogg gave them a 22-20 win over Leinster in September. In December, a Jonny Gray try nine minutes from time secured a 21-18 victory over Munster, while in February Peter Horne’s late penalty defeated the Ospreys 19-16.

This team — which boasts real leaders like Gray, Josh Strauss, Tommy Seymour, Al Kellock and Fraser Brown — doesn’t get in a flap when the going gets tough anymore and, subsequently, they have never been in a better position to bring silverware back to Scotland for the first time. Glasgow have made the endof- season Play- Offs for the past four years, but this is only their second Final. The experience they have gained in the interim will be vital.

This won’t be a pretty game against Munster. However, an efficient Glasgow side sticking to t heir t actical plan and showing patience to wear down t he opposition s hould be good enough to make

history.