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BBC Rugby Union: Glasgow Warriors Primed for URC Grand Final Showdown with Bulls
28 October 2023 – Galway, Ireland: Glasgow Warriors’ impressive 17-10 semi-final victory over reigning champions Munster has set the stage for an enthralling United Rugby Championship (URC) Grand Final clash against the Bulls in South Africa this Saturday.
Head coach Franco Smith, a former Springbok international, believes his team’s recent experience in handling the “hostility” of a packed Thomond Park crowd will prove invaluable as they prepare to take on another of the URC’s most intimidating venues, the 51,000-capacity Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
“I think we’ve learned a lot from last week’s game,” said Smith. “There were 20,000 Irish supporters at Thomond Park, and it could have been intimidating, but I think we’ve taken a lot from that in our preparation for this week.”
The Warriors are aiming to end a nine-year wait for silverware, having lost to Toulon in last year’s Challenge Cup final. Smith feels his side has evolved since that setback, and they will be buoyed by the presence of 12 full Scotland internationals in the starting lineup.
“Last year we had another final opportunity, and this one is obviously the pinnacle of this season, so we’re really looking forward to being a part of it,” he explained. “We’re looking forward now to our next challenge and our next step.”
The rugby union news comes as the Glasgow Warriors seek to cap off a memorable campaign by lifting the URC trophy, having already secured victories over the Stormers and Munster in the knockout stages. With the formidable Bulls awaiting them, the stage is set for a truly captivating URC rugby union final.
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