Glasgow Warriors produce slick set play try during victory over Stormers

Glasgow Warriors showcased a tactical masterclass in their URC clash with the DHL Stormers at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday night.

The Warriors orchestrated a move that featured centre Stafford McDowall, Sione Tuipulotu and the rest of the Warriors’ backline as support players.,

Taking the ball straight from a scrum, McDowall’s role as the first receiver set up a textbook set play try.

McDowall’s involvement as the first receiver transformed him into a formidable ball carrier and allowed him to target the soft shoulders of the Stormers 10/12.

The precision in executing this role, especially against the Stormers’ strong defenders, added a layer of unpredictability to the Warriors’ attack. This manoeuvre exploited the defensive gaps created by Stormers’ 10/12, demonstrating that simplicity can be astonishingly effective in rugby.

Technical masterpiece

To add to the complexity of the move, Tuipulotu’s hard line, combined with the drifting movement of the Warriors’ backline, created an element of deception that was as crucial as it was captivating. This strategic drift by the backline presented the illusion that they were either expecting a rapid ruck ball to launch a secondary set play or preparing for a cleverly placed kick to exploit space out wide.

This tactical orchestration proved to be simple but oh-so-effective. It was a beautiful example of how rugby is as much about the mind as it is about brawn. The Warriors’ ability to keep the Stormers’ defence guessing and off balance was a testament to head coach Franco Smith’s attacking intellect.

In rugby, the most masterful manoeuvres often seem the simplest, but they require a deep understanding of the sport’s intricacies. Glasgow Warriors’ performance against the Stormers serves as a reminder that, sometimes, the brilliance of the game lies in the subtleties.

This was exceptional from @GlasgowWarriors against the Stormers.

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Getting McDowall to carry as a first receiver to target the shoulders of the Stormers 10/12 Stormers as a strong ball carrier was a masterstroke.

Tuipulotu’s hard line works brilliantly because the rest of the… pic.twitter.com/0jZiEHWJzi

— Philip Bendon (@PBendon) November 4, 2023