Sione Tuipulotu said Glasgow have set the bar for their season after a six-try bonus point win over Benetton at Scotstoun on Friday night.  

Having lost their opener in dramatic fashion against Ulster a week ago, the defending champions bounced back in style to dispatch the Italian side 42-10, with captain Kyle Steyn scoring twice. 

Tuipulotu felt it was a step up from the performance in Belfast.  

He said: "Franco [Smith, head coach] talked about making a step forward this week from last week.  

“There was so much of the game last week we were really happy about - particularly defence, particularly from the forwards - and we made a point this week that we wanted to get the execution up in terms of our set plays and stuff like that, and I thought we did that.” 

Tuipulotu admitted to feeling slightly over-awed by all the pictures of the new URC champions around Scotstoun when he returned to pre-season, and said the focus was on taking their time to break down the Italians.  

He explained: “When we came back in and saw all the championship stuff, you’re so eager and you want to just pick up where you left off last year.  

“But I felt like that was led to a couple of the errors in the Ulster game - we were so eager to make an impact in attack, maybe we were over-running things. And that’s where the errors come from. 

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“I think this week we really concentrated on just taking a breath. Taking our time in attack to break down teams. I thought our attack fired pretty well today, but we left a couple of tries out there and we’ll hope to not leave them out there against Cardiff.” 

With regular centre partner Huw Jones out injured and Stafford McDowall also sidelined, Tuipulotu was joined in the midfield by Tom Jordan, who has more often been found in the fly-half berth for the Warriors.  

But the Scotland star was impressed by Jordan’s showing.  

"I can’t speak highly enough of Tom. He’s obviously one of my best mates at the club, but his work ethic gives me peace of mind when I play with someone like that, because I know they’ve put in the work.  

“TJ has a dog mentality, he always brings it out no matter which position he’s playing, and those players are always the best to play with, because they get after it.” 

Tom Jordan described the score - later chalked off - as 'the greatest try in human history' Tom Jordan (left) put Sione Tuipulotu over on Friday night, but the try was later chalked off for a forward pass in the build-up. (Image: SNS)

The pair combined on Friday for what would have been an outstanding try for Tuipulotu, only for the officials to disallow the score for a forward pass in the build-up.  

Tuipulotu reflected on what might have been: “Tom was like ‘They just denied us the greatest try in human history!’  

“I was really disappointed because it was an unreal try.” 

Glasgow travel to Cardiff next weekend and despite the Welsh side finishing 12th last season and with just four wins all campaign, Tuipulotu believes that will be another tough encounter.  

He said: “I've actually seen a lot of people pick Cardiff as the dark horse this year. We'll look over the tape of their game this week. We know this tournament has gotten stronger and stronger every year.  

Sione Tuipulotu and Kyle Steyn celebrate a first-half score for Matt FagersonSione Tuipulotu and Kyle Steyn celebrate a first-half score for Matt Fagerson (Image: SNS)

“Last week, if you look at the team sheet of Ulster and you look at our team sheet, you'd probably say we're a lot stronger, but the home and away has a big factor. 

"We're not going to go there and think it's going to be an easy win. We know it's going to be tough.”