'Time to put our game into overdrive' - Glasgow ready for Stormers test

URC quarter-final: Glasgow Warriors v Stormers

When: Friday, 30 May Where: Scotstoun Stadium Kick-off: 19:35 BST

Coverage: Live matter updates connected BBC Sport website

In galore respects, this run bears galore of nan hallmarks of past play for Glasgow Warriors, 1 that saw them spell each nan measurement successful nan United Rugby Championship.

Superb consistency to stay successful nan apical 2 for nan mostly of nan campaign, only to autumn disconnected pinch immoderate patchy shape precocious successful nan regular play to decorativeness fourth. Now, arsenic then, nan Stormers dishonesty successful hold successful nan quarter-finals successful what should beryllium a belting showdown astatine Scotstoun.

Not galore expected Glasgow to prime up nan benignant of steam they did successful past year's play-offs, sweeping speech nan South African broadside astatine location earlier stunning wins distant to Munster and nan Bulls to return nan title.

Even arsenic defending champions, Warriors are erstwhile again viewed mostly arsenic outsiders down nan likes of Leinster, Bulls and nan Sharks successful nan title to assistance nan trophy.

They person much caller acquisition of going nan distance, however, and only a fool would constitute them off.

"We cognize nan route, we cognize what it takes and what it took," caput coach Franco Smith told BBC Scotland.

"Now, really tin we enactment connected what we request to do now successful nan adjacent 80 minutes? That's nan main focus.

"I deliberation we buried that weight (of being champions) astatine nan commencement of nan season. We knew that if we put other unit connected ourselves, that would load america and it wouldn't let america to beryllium nan champion type of ourselves.

"There's 8 teams near and to beryllium 1 of those is evidently a compliment to what's been done and nan measurement we've worked.

"Now, to put our acquisition and besides our crippled into overdrive to make judge that we execute nan champion astatine nan backmost extremity of nan season, that's evidently nan mission."

Part of nan logic expectations astir Glasgow person lessened is down to their crippling wounded problems.

A big of cardinal players person missed large chunks of nan season. The Fagerson brothers, Zander and Matt, stay sidelined, arsenic does Jack Dempsey, while Huw Jones' return has been disrupted by a recurrence of a niggling Achilles problem.

Some of nan large guns are backmost conscionable successful time, though, to inject immoderate power into Warriors' playoff challenge.

Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Steyn, Max Williamson and Scott Cummings person each returned successful caller weeks, while Henco Venter, nan influential South African back-row, is disposable aft suspension.

It's a bully point too, because nan Stormers are a broadside looking for revenge for past season's conclusion astatine this stage, and who are picking up shape astatine nan correct time.

"They've won 4 successful a statement now," Smith said. "They'll decidedly travel retired to springiness themselves a chance to triumph this crippled and spell further successful nan competition, truthful nary uncertainty astir that. We've sewage a batch of respect for them and nan coaching group.

"We cognize nan value of players that they do person successful their environment, which they tin thin on. They evidently person immoderate individual brilliance successful a very bully squad pinch a bully battalion of forwards, truthful it's going to beryllium a large challenge."