GLASGOW WARRIORS attack coach Nigel Carolan believes that there were signs of progress in the team’s performance when losing 32-17 to the Ospreys last weekend, and he says that the Scotstoun men can bounce back when they host the Bulls this Saturday evening so long as they play to their strengths.
“We created a lot of opportunities but there was a little bit of sloppiness, a lack of accuracy,” he explained. “The opportunities were there, we just didn’t convert. There was about a 12 per cent conversion rate of opportunities which is an all-time low. I actually think the scoreline flattered Ospreys.
“It was small things like getting held up over the line twice, and the maul didn’t function as well as we would have liked and that’s usually a weapon of ours when we get into the scoring zones. But these are all things we feel are fixable.
“I think the most important thing is getting access to scoring opportunities and, away from home, you’ve got to take them.”
This weekend’s opposition were the beaten finalists in last season United Rugby Championship, and they have won all three games played so far in this campaign.
“Bulls by name, Bulls by nature – they are a physical team,” continued Carolan. “They are fairly direct in terms of how they attack so there’s not going to be any surprises there, and we have to be ready to front up to that.
“But one of our themes this week is that we’ll outrun the Bulls. I think everyone is going to expect us to move them around and hopefully we won’t disappoint.”
Warriors lost two key men to injury last weekend, and while Carolan suggested that both club captain Kyle Steyn (hamstring) and No.8 Jack Dempsey (bruised could come back into contention this week, it seems likely they will be given the weekend off to fully recover.
“Kyle’s back rehabbing and he’s running really well, so at least he’s back in the frame for selection,” said Carolan. “Whether he’s involved this week or next, we’ll see later in the week. He hasn’t joined training yet – he’s still in the rehab group – but he’s very close to a return.”
“Jack’s a tough man so it would take a substantial blow to the ribs take him out of a game,” he added. “We’ve wrapped him up in bubble wrap and we’ll see how he is later in the week. But you want to be 10 out of 10 for a game like this, and that’s why we’re minding him early in the week, to give him every chance to get back.”
