After just about seeing off Zebre, Glasgow’s Kyle Rowe admits they will need to be much better in the United Rugby Championship quarter-final but insists they can beat anyone at Scotstoun.
Rowe was one of the shining lights on a difficult evening for Franco Smith’s side, who only pulled away from the league’s bottom side in the final quarter.
The Scotland international attempted to put a positive spin on a below-par performance.
READ MORE: Five things we learned as Glasgow Warriors scrape past Zebre
“It's good that we got that performance out the way,” he said.
“It was more grinding through the result because that's what it's going to be like next week. It wasn't pretty at times but we dug deep a couple of times to grind out the result.
“We know there's a lot of things to work on but it's put us in good stead to know in those tough situations we'll face next week we can grind it out."
Twelve months ago the Warriors faltered in the last eight, losing at home to Munster after a red card to Tom Jordan.
While Rowe wasn’t part of the Scotstoun set-up at the time, having just been made redundant following the collapse of London Irish, he said the whole squad is keen to set the record straight when the Stormers visit next Saturday.
“I wasn't here but I know there is a lot of disappointment from last year,” the former Ayr man continued.
“Everyone who has come in this year, players and coaches, we want to put that right and go on and do special things with this group.
“We know as a group we can beat anyone on our day so we're focused on ourselves."
Speaking immediately after the win over Zebre – and before the identity of Glasgow’s last eight opponents was confirmed – he added: “We'll preview the team we have in the last eight but a lot of it is about how we can get better as a collective but also individually."
If captain Kyle Steyn is fit to return, Rowe may face a shoot-out with Sebastian Cancelliere for a spot in the team, with Glasgow’s Player of the Year Josh McKay almost certain to reclaim the 15 jersey Rowe occupied on Friday evening.
The 26-year-old was pleased with his own performance and enjoyed a run-out at fullback.
He continued: “I felt really good during the game. I made a good few breaks and a good few decisions.
“I feel like I've got a lot of confidence in my game at the minute and I'm just trying to take that into the quarter-final, semis and the final.”
Rowe followed up that reference of the final by saying Glasgow aren’t looking too far into the future.
“We'll completely focus on the quarter-final first,” he said, before again referencing a potential route to the semi-final and final
He added: “We can beat anyone here. I don't think we really mind who comes here. We'll do a job.
“We'll [probably] have to go away for the semi-final I think, but we're still confident to go away and do a job.”
Meanwhile, Rowe won three caps for Scotland during the Six Nations and hopes to add to that tally on the summer tour.
"I want to play for Scotland as many times as I can.
“If I'm selected to go on the tour, great, but if not I'll be looking over the off-season to rest and recuperate and come back in and try not to lose what I've gained this season playing wise. We'll wait and see."
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