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Glasgow Warriors are still looking for their first Pool 4 but will face an Ulster Rugby side full of conifidence when the two sides meet in the all Pro12 clash at Scotstoun Stadium. - 18/10/2012 07:59
Glasgow Warriors are still looking for their first Pool 4 but will face an Ulster Rugby side full of conifidence when the two sides meet in the all Pro12 clash at Scotstoun Stadium.
The Scottish outfit will be looking to build on their impressive display against Northampton Saints which saw them lose 24-15 at Frankin Gardens and just miss out on a losing bonus point.
The Warriors pushed the 2000 Heineken Cup winners and 2011 finalists all the way in the Pool 4 opener last weekend, but will be wary of the threat posed by Ulster, last year's finalists.
Gregor Townsend, the Glagow coach, didn't pull any punches or hide his disappointment in his side's opening defeat but also believes his side can beat Ulster on their home patch in their debut tournament match at Scotstoun.
“We’re all massively disappointed not to have won the game,” said Townsend, the former Scotland international.
“We put ourselves in a position to do so with some great work in the first 30 minutes, where we took them on in their areas of strength and really had the edge.
“In every game, and especially away from home in the Heineken Cup, you need to play for 80 minutes, and we know we didn’t do that.
“Our defending off a couple of their set-pieces wasn’t as good as we’d expect, and at a time when we should really have been looking to press home our advantage, we ended up being up against it.
“Those first 30 minutes are what we’re all about, and if we can produce that against Ulster, we know we’re more than capable of securing the victory we need.”
The Irish province cruised to a comfortable bonus point victory over French side Castres at Ravenhill. Ulster raced in for six tries to underline their ambition to lift the Heineken Cup for a second time.
Back row duo Stephen Ferris (back injury) and Nick Williams (rib injury) missed the home victory over Castres but are back and named in the extended squad for the trip to Scotland to give Ulster a real boost.
Match Facts
This is the first Heineken Cup tie to be played at Scotstoun since Ulster visited the ground to play Glasgow & District on 12 October 1997.
The Warriors’ record against Irish opponents in the Heineken Cup is won one, lost five, with the only victory being 29-17 over Leinster at Hughenden in November 1999.
Ulster’s solitary defeat in their last five Heineken Cup games against Scottish opponents (all five have been against Edinburgh) was 13-17 at Murrayfield on 17 October 2009.
Ulster’s record in Scotland in the Heineken Cup is won 2, lost 2.
Glasgow have beaten the Ulstermen in just one in their last five encounters: 17-9 at Firhill in the RaboDirect PRO12 in November last year.
Ulster Rugby maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a crucial 19-8 away victory over Glasgow Warriors. - 19/10/2012 22:00
Ulster Rugby maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a crucial 19-8 away victory over Glasgow Warriors.
Last seasons’ beaten finalists built on their Round 1 bonus-point win against Castres Olympique to cement top spot in Pool 4 thanks to a Chris Henry try and 14 points from the boot of Paddy Jackson.
Henry’s try on the hour mark finally put some breathing space between Ulster and the Warriors after the sides had been just three points apart for the first 59 minutes.
Ulster led 6-3 at the break as a brace of Jackson penalties replied to Peter Horne’s 20th-minute opener.
Scoring chances were hard to come by at Scotstoun but both teams missed two kicks at goal in the opening period, before Horne was off target with a third just two minutes after the interval.
Ruan Pienaar’s second attempt at the posts experienced the same fate as his first on 58 minutes but Henry’s touchdown finally had the scoreboard moving again just moments later.
Having been awarded another penalty directly after the restart following Pienaar’s long-range miss, Ulster opted to kick to touch, duly won the lineout and powered towards the line. Openside flanker Henry was the man to emerge with the ball in his grasp but the whole pack deserve credit for the critical score.
Jackson’s conversion made it 13-3 and, when the young fly-half added a penalty two minutes further down the line, Ulster were suddenly in complete control.
A fourth three-pointer from Jackson had Ulster 16 points to the good with five minutes remaining and a 77th-minute unconverted try from Niko Matawalu was only minor consolation for Glasgow.
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