Gregor Townsend doesn’t believe Sunday’s Heineken Cup clash with Exeter is “win or bust” for his Glasgow Warriors, but accepts any other result will leave the team struggling.
Home wins in the Heineken Cup pool format are the bottom line if teams with aspirations for the last eight are to be successful, and a loss to the Chiefs will make things very difficult, said Townsend.
“You need to take things out of the first two games because if you don’t it’s going to be very tough,” he said.
“Lose them both and you need to win all four remaining games to even have a chance so we know the importance of this game.”
Townsend didn’t apportion direct blame for the first-half collapse against Toulon, but he has rung the changes for the visit of the Chiefs, four in the back line and four in the pack.
“We know that we didn’t put our game in place, both in attack and defence, but particularly defence,” he said.
“Having watched the game a couple of times since you have to say that some of the attacking play from Toulon was outstanding, like playing a very good international side, with off-loads going to hand, real pace on the ball, running lines that we probably hadn’t dealt with this year.
“The positives were the (second-half) reaction. When you’re away from home and have conceded four tries in the first half you can go into your shells and feel sorry for yourselves, but the players came out, tackled much better, were more committed and attacked very well.
“We were actually frustrated that after about 62 minutes we got back to 13 points behind and the crowd were whistling at Toulon, and then we gave away a penalty which killed our momentum.”
A bounceback against the Chiefs, flying themselves after a very similar rout of Cardiff last week, is a tall order, but is expected, added the coach.
“Exeter are playing a very, very good rugby. Their first 50 minutes last week was a lesson in how to look after ball, passing, pace on the ball, contact work, and they were relentless.
“They want to attack space and will run the ball out of their 22, and they kick the ball a lot less than other English teams, so in many ways it’s like preparing for Leinster, who’ll keep ball because they’re efficient at the breakdown and are not scared of moving it from deep.”
Rob Harley, missed as Toulon ran riot at the breakdown in the first half last week, returns to hopefully stem Exeter’s swift recycling from last week, but Townsend believes it’s a team effort.
“We were poor at slowing down Toulon’s ball,” he agreed. “You have to get that dominant tackle in, get players to the ground quickly, and we didn’t do that.
“We know that we can do it because we did it when we played Leinster.”
Harley’s return allows Tim Swinson back in the second row, with Jonny Gray the unlucky one to miss out.
Tyrone Holmes starts in place of the rested Chris Fusaro, and Ed Kalman is preferred to Jon Welsh at tight-head. In the backs livewire Niko Matavalu starts at scrum-half for the first time this season, with Chris Cusiter on the bench.
A neck injury to Alex Dunbar means Byron McGuigan comes into the centre alongside Gabriel Ascarate, who makes his Warriors home debut.
Glasgow Sean Maitland, Tommy Seymour, Byron McGuigan, Gabriel Ascarate, DTH van der Merwe, Ruiradh Jackson, Niko Matavalu, Ryan Grant, Pat MacArthur, Ed Kalman, Tim Swinson, Al Kellock (capt), Rob Harley, Tyrone Holmes, Josh Strauss. Replacements Dougie Hall, Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Moray Low, Jonny Gray, Richie Vernon, Chris Cusiter, Duncan Weir, Mark Bennett.