Glasgow Warriors Mount One of Rugby's Greatest Comebacks Against Toulouse
On 16 December 2025 at Scotstoun, the Glasgow Warriors staged a remarkable comeback in the Champions Cup, overturning a 21-0 half-time deficit to beat Toulouse 28-21. This impressive turnaround ranks as the fourth-largest in Champions Cup history, with the record comeback margin standing at 24 points, achieved by Edinburgh’s 48-47 victory over Racing 92 in 2011.
Notable precedents to such comebacks include Edinburgh’s 2011 win after trailing 44-20 and Harlequins’ 2021 recovery from 28-0 down at Bristol. Analysts highlight the influence of the wind in aiding Glasgow during the second half, alongside evolving game factors such as the increasing impact of substitutes and new laws designed to accelerate momentum shifts.
These shifts can rapidly change the course of a match; a typical example involves a penalty near a team's own line leading to a series of plays culminating in a fast 14-point swing within minutes. The phenomenon of front-runners losing substantial leads is also seen in other major rugby events, such as the All Blacks squandering a 17-0 lead at Murrayfield in November and England drawing 38-38 in the Calcutta Cup after being ahead 31-0 in 2019.
Phil Dowson, director of rugby at Saints, describes this trend largely as positive, pointing to more high-scoring games and enhanced mental resilience among teams, though he cautions that recency bias might color perceptions. The narrative of such comebacks has been illustrated by terms like "reverse ferret" and "Team Lazarus." Key contributors for Glasgow in this memorable comeback include Gregor Brown, Jack Dempsey, Adam Hastings, Stafford McDowell, and Sione Tuipulotu.
This article is an extract from The Breakdown weekly rugby email, shedding light on the evolving dynamics of rugby union comebacks and their increasing prominence in the sport.
