Glasgow Warriors Mount Fourth-Biggest Comeback in Champions Cup History
Glasgow Warriors achieved a remarkable comeback to beat Toulouse 28-21 at Scotstoun in the Champions Cup, overcoming a 21-0 half-time deficit. This turnaround ranks as the fourth-biggest in the 30-year history of the tournament, with the record being a 24-point comeback by Edinburgh, who won 48-47 after trailing 44-20 in 2011.
The match set a new record for points scored at one end in the Champions Cup, with 49 points surpassing the previous high of 47 set by Oyonnax and Ulster in 2016. Key contributions for Glasgow came from Gregor Brown, Jack Dempsey, Adam Hastings, Stafford McDowell, and Sione Tuipulotu.
The game exemplifies how modern rugby’s momentum shifts are intensified by current laws, substitutions, and the impact of bench players, making it easier for teams trailing to mount comebacks. This trend aligns with broader examples from the era, such as the All Blacks relinquishing a 17-0 lead at Murrayfield and England’s 2019 Calcutta Cup match where they came back from 31-0 down to draw 38-38.
Phil Dowson of Northampton Saints highlighted the mental aspect of such comebacks and noted a positive trend towards higher-scoring, more comeback-friendly games. The article suggests that more dramatic momentum reversals, sometimes called “reverse ferrets,” are likely to occur during the current season as these dynamics continue.
