“We knew we just had to stick to our plan” | Smith

In a high-quality encounter, tries from Sione Tuipulotu and Nathan McBeth, plus a penalty try, ultimately saw the men in black move top of the BKT United Rugby Championship standings for the time being, with Smith praising his side’s ability to stick to their game plan despite facing pressure from their South African visitors.

“It must have been a good one to watch from the stands!” the Glasgow Warriors Head Coach told Premier Sports following the full-time whistle.

“It was a very physical performance from both sides, with each team showing great intent and intensity.

“We’re always reasonably calm at the break. We had a plan pre-match, and whilst they defended very well, we knew that if we stuck to our plan they would struggle to keep that level up for the full 80 minutes. We hoped that the bench would make an impact, and that’s exactly what they did.

“We’ve got a lot of creative backs who can be extremely innovative, which we definitely encourage. There’s a balance to be found between that and the game plan though, which I thought we managed very well tonight. We showed good patience and got the reward through penalties, which in turn we converted inside the final 20 metres.”

The back-row in particular drew plaudits from pundits and supporters alike, with Jack Dempsey claiming BKT Player of the Match honours on his return from injury.

With Gregor Brown and Matt Fagerson also impressing in both attack and defence, Smith praised the influence of the loose-forward trio amongst a full-squad effort.

“Jack really wanted to contribute, and it was fantastic that he brought the energy and intensity tonight,” said Smith.

“The accolade tonight was testament to the effort he put in.

“We mustn’t be surprised that Gregor played well at six as that’s where he’s played most of his rugby! His versatility is a real asset and he brings a real physicality in the 15-metre channels.

“Together with Jack and Matt, who was also excellent tonight, they really impressed.”

The Warriors now head into a month-long break as the Quilter Nations Series takes centre stage, with 19 of the Glasgow squad set to link up with Scotland this weekend.

Smith believes his players are ready to stand out in the famous dark blue jersey, after a profitable opening block of fixtures in the BKT URC.

“I know from previous experience that you must make hay when the sun shines,” said Smith.

“We know that there is still plenty of a tough season left to play, but we have built momentum and we know hand the boys over to Scotland in the best form.

“It’s now about making sure we’re ready to come back in three weeks and hit the ground running.”