There are ten Glasgow Warriors who have survived from their last Guinness PRO14 final to this one, and Rob Harley thinks that will be a huge help to the team in Saturday’s final against Leinster.
It was just the PRO12 in those days and one of the ten, veteran flanker Chris Fusaro, is one of the few Warriors currently injured not available to play this weekend. Harley’s opening try sparked Glasgow to a 31-13 victory over Munster in Belfast, although the club’s longest serving player admits someone else was largely responsible.
“I think Leone (Nakarawa) burst through about five or six tackles and passed to me when everyone else was beaten,” he recalled.
“What I most remember is that day we had tremendous travelling support, it was like a home game. That’s only going to be greater this week because we’re playing in Glasgow.”
It’s tough to compare the two teams, believes Harley, but having so many who were there that day in Belfast will help.
“We have guys who played across both teams and who remember the feeling of being in the final having that big pressure game,” he said. “Last time we were in that situation we were uninhibited and that’s what we’ve been training this week, making sure we’re sharp and hitting our stride.
“We need that quick ball to be able to stress teams, so that we’re not afraid to play, and if we do see space we have the runners that can hurt teams from anywhere on the park.”
Harley has plenty of experience of playing at football grounds, being one of the squad – Stuart Hogg, Pete Horne and DTH van der Merwe are others – who were with the Warriors when they played home matches at Patrick Thistle’s Firhill.
“I was and am a Thistle fan,” he admitted. “Quite a few of my friends used to say we ruined the pitch tearing it up with the rugby studs.
“I’ve been to Celtic Park once or twice to watch games. It’s a great stadium and it’s exciting to think of it being packed out with our supporters.
“The big thing this weekend is we’re in Glasgow and it’s exciting our home fans will get to see us in this big game.”
It’s also going to be the final game for Stuart Hogg before he leaves the club, and he’s been an inspirational figure, believes Harley.
“In a lot of ways he’s irreplaceable because of the talent he has, but also the energy,” said Harley.
“He’ll be the first guy to say he’s not always positive, he gets stroppy about things, but it’s because he wants to win every game we’re playing.
“That includes football games or even if we’re just kicking a tennis ball around, he wants to win. That’s a big thing in our squad, it drives the winning mentality. He’s a huge loss for us but hopefully we’ll sent him off with the right note.”
Harley has locked swords with Leinster many times in his record 211 appearances for the Warriors, and he feels both sides will have the same incentive on Saturday.
“Their semi-final was really physical rugby and they’ll be a huge challenge for us. We played them a few weeks ago and got a win over there, but they’ll be charged up as well because it’s the last game of the season for everyone, there are guys leaving, and a charged atmosphere.
“At this end of the season you have to put your body on the line and leave absolutely everything out there. We’re going to see physicality in contact and the brutality in defence you need at this level.
“The advantage for us is that they have to come to Glasgow. We’re all excited about that.”
