Glasgow v Leinster: Carolan Dismisses Past Defeats
Nigel Carolan, the Glasgow warriors assistant coach, sees a “ruthless” edge returning just in time for their United Rugby Championship title defense. Carolan’s squad rebounded from a challenging patch with a decisive victory over the Stormers, showcasing the ambition and accuracy needed for playoff success. Facing Leinster in the semi-final at Aviva Stadium, Glasgow aims to build on this momentum, dismissing past defeats including a heavy loss in the Champions Cup. News Directory 3 explores how the Warriors are focusing on converting opportunities, even with limited possession, to overcome their rivals. With Huw Jones potentially returning, will Glasgow’s backline be the key to victory? Discover what’s next as they strive to defend their title.
Glasgow Warriors Rediscover “Ruthless” Streak for URC title Push
Updated June 03, 2025
Glasgow warriors assistant coach Nigel Carolan believes the team has rediscovered its “ruthless” edge at the perfect moment to defend their United Rugby Championship title. This renewed focus on capitalizing on opportunities could prove crucial as they head into the URC semi-final.
After a shaky patch that saw them lose four of five matches, including a 33-7 defeat to Benetton, Franco Smith’s squad rebounded with a decisive 36-18 victory over Stormers in the quarter-final. The five-try performance has seemingly erased concerns about their form as they prepare to face Leinster at Aviva Stadium this Saturday in a crucial URC showdown.
Carolan highlighted the importance of maintaining the ambition adn accuracy displayed in the Stormers match. He noted that the team’s ability to convert chances, even with limited possession, demonstrated a crucial “ruthless” quality needed in the playoffs. The Warriors aim to carry this momentum into their upcoming match.
Glasgow faces a tough challenge against Leinster, who previously defeated them 52-0 in the champions Cup in April and 13-5 in their last league match. Though,Carolan insists the team has moved past the heavy European defeat and is building momentum. He pointed to their recent performance against Stormers and an earlier 43-19 win against Leicester as evidence of their resurgence.
“I definitely think there’s a template there (from Friday) that we try and play to,” said Carolan.”I think what we showed was really good ambition, some good accuracy. We scored some cracking tries, even though we didn’t have a massive amount of the ball…But I think what it did show is when we did get chances, we were pretty ruthless and that’s what you need this time of the season.”
regarding team fitness, Carolan indicated that Scotland forwards Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey, and Zander Fagerson are making progress in their injury recovery but are unlikely to be available for Saturday’s match. However, there is optimism that center Huw Jones will return after missing the Stormers game due to an Achilles issue. His potential return would provide a significant boost to the Glasgow backline.
“Huw is on track at the moment to be ready,” Carolan said. “Obviously we pulled him last week for precautionary reasons, but he’s shaping up really well. We’ll just have to see how he progresses through the week.”
What’s next
The Glasgow Warriors will focus on maintaining their ruthless streak as they prepare to face Leinster in the URC semi-final. A victory would put them one step closer to defending their title.