Glasgow 16-22 Toulouse
Lineen laments Toulouse masterclass
PA Sport
October 17, 2008
Thom Evans of Glasgow Warriors gets tackled by Kevin Sorrell of Saracens during the European Challenge Cup Quarter final match between Saracens and Glasgow Warriors at Vicarage Road in Watford, England on April 01, 2007.
Glasgow coach Sean Lineen singled out winger Thom Evans out for particular praise © Getty Images
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Glasgow coach Sean Lineen admits his side need to win all their remaining Heineken Cup Pool Five games to reach the quarter-finals after being outclassed by Toulouse tonight.

The Warriors went down 22-16 at Firhill to the three-time European champions, their second defeat in less than a week. A late Lome Fa'atau try gave Lineen's men a losing bonus point but they still need four straight victories to have a realistic chance of making the last eight.

"I would say so," Lineen said when asked if that was now essential. Despite the defeat, the former Scotland international's reaction to tonight's result was in stark contrast to his stinging assessment of last week's capitulation at Newport Gwent Dragons.

Certainly, on the evidence of the first half - which the Warriors won 9-7 - Lineen can take great heart. "I thought the guys showed what playing for Glasgow's all about," said Lineen, who revealed he needed to remind his players what the Heineken Cup was all about.

"I thought each and every one of them put their hands up and showed the passion and pride of playing for Glasgow Warriors this season. Toulouse showed their class when they went through the gears at the beginning of the second half.

"The tries were a little bit soft that we gave away but the guys never stopped trying. We scored a great try and could have had a couple more. So really proud of the effort tonight."

Lineen singled out wing Thom Evans - who played well despite dropping the ball with the tryline at his mercy - for particular praise. "He played outstandingly," the coach said. "I thought again John Beattie and John Barclay were tireless, just kept working against what was an outstanding outfit. They never gave up."

He added: "It's a week too late in a way, but at least we know it's there."

Toulouse looked out of sorts early on tonight but David Skrela's opening try settled them and they crossed twice more after the break through Byron Kelleher and Yannick Jauzion to turn the game on its head. Lineen said: "The number of x-factor players that they have, when they want to just create space, every single one of them knows how to do it.

"They're all athletes; they can play rugby. We'll learn from that. But again we're on the same field as them and we can hold our heads high."

Lineen now wants his players to perform with the same desire in next Friday's Magners League clash with Leinster and beyond.

He said: "The main thing is looking forward towards next week and the guys taking this game, this intensity and the way they've played into the Magners League. The guys are up for it. The way they played today is the way we've got to play for the rest of the season."

Tonight's win keeps Toulouse firmly on course for the quarter-finals following last week's last-gasp victory over Bath.

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