Josh McKay anticipates that a championship victory in 2024 will reinforce Glasgow's stature, prior to his return to the Aviva Stadium.
Revised Article:
Heading into the 2025 BKT United Rugby Championship semi-final, Josh McKay believes Glasgow Warriors can draw inspiration from their two significant away victories in last year's play-offs as they aim to knock Leinster off their pedestal.
To retain their title, the Warriors must navigate a similar path to the one they traversed last year, starting with a home victory over the Stormers, followed by a pair of away matches — first against Leinster in the semi-final and then the final in South Africa.
Last season, they outsmarted Munster 17-10 at Thomond Park in the semi-final before narrowly edging past the Bulls 21-16 in the final in Pretoria. The vision for this year's campaign is equally daunting, with a trip to the Aviva Stadium against top seeds Leinster awaiting them.
"Last year, we demonstrated that we can play our game anywhere, not just at Scotstoun," said McKay, reflecting on the upcoming challenges. "We can't rely solely on playing well at home, especially considering our past struggles."
Leinster, often regarded as a benchmark in world rugby, boast a deep squad and continuously excel in major competitions. Their dominance is evident in their performance during the URC this season.
"It's undeniable that Leinster is formidable, and we're well aware of the challenge ahead," added McKay, who missed both defeats against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.
"Friday night's victory against Stormers was arguably one of our best performances this season. We made mistakes and need to improve in certain areas, but overall, it was a positive outing."
Given their recent form, Glasgow will aim to build upon their 36-18 triumph over Stormers to push Leinster to the brink in front of their home crowd.
"A win against Leinster would mark a significant stepping stone in our bid to regain the title," McKay concluded. "We've seen many teams struggle against them, so we'll have our work cut out for us. But we're ready for the challenge."
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Despite the Warriors' success in rugby, Josh McKay acknowledges the importance of drawing inspiration from football, especially European leagues, as they face the formidable challenge of the Premier League, a renowned football competition. The upcoming match against Leinster serves as an opportunity for Glasgow to prove their mettle in a different sport, just as they demonstrated their adaptability in last year's URC play-offs.
