Glasgow Warriors remain top of the pile in the BKT URC after a weekend that saw a series of crucial clashes between play-off rivals in the Race to the Eight.

The league leaders recorded a 31-10 bonus point victory against Benetton Rugby at Scotstoun as Franco Smith put one over on the team he used to coach.

Glasgow trailed 10-7 at half-time, but then rattled up 21 unanswered points after the break with winger Fergus Watson scoring one of their five tries as he marked his debut with a Player of the Match display.

That’s now 15 wins out of 18 games in all competitions this season for the Scottish side who have a home Investec Champions Cup Ronud of 16 tie against the Vodacom Bulls coming up next weekend.

But head coach Smith insists there is no chance of them getting carried away with their lofty position.

“Fortunately, we had a first half like this which actually humbles you a little bit and makes sure everybody’s feet stays on the floor and that we are very well connected in what we should do and not what we want,” he said.

“That has got to be the message – stop worrying about where we are and how it is and hopefully we can get it done anyway.”

As for what his half-time team-talk had entailed, he said: “We felt we weren’t as confrontational as we were last week and that was addressed.”

Not for the first time this season, Glasgow racked up the points in the second half, so what does Smith put that trend down to?

“It’s belief and trust in the boys and the fact we want to continue to play when the opposition gets a little bit tired, I suppose.

“The more you score points in that part of the game, the more the players believe they must stick in the fight.

“I am proud of the hard work that has gone in from everybody in the club. It’s really coming off. There’s a big end of the season ahead of us now.”

The DHL Stormers remain in second spot having claimed a 33-14 bonus point victory over Edinburgh Rugby in Cape Town.

In front of the league’s biggest crowd of the weekend – 21,487 – they pulled away in the final quarter with No 8 Evan Roos completing a try double.

That takes him level with Connacht’s Sean Jansen and Leinster’s Joshua Kenny as the joint top try-scorer in the BKT URC this season, with all three having touched down nine times.

Roos, who picked up the BKT URC Player of the Match, said: “I am just enjoying it and I think the team is clicking well now. It’s fun.

“We understand our roles and everyone buys into it, which is awesome. The tries are just a nice bonus for me.”

Ulster Rugby are in third after claiming the only away win of the weekend, pulling clear to secure the maximum as they beat Zebre Parma 28-12 in a game where the sides were tied at 7-7 at the break.

Their skipper Iain Henderson said: “Had you said to me yesterday we were going to come here and get a bonus point win, I’d have bitten your hand off for it.

“Zebre are always difficult to play at home, so we knew it was going to be a tough night at the office. Plenty of things we can do better, but happy with the outcome.”

Then it’s Leinster Rugby in fourth with the defending champions having also moved through the gears in the second half after taking until the 29th minute to open their account.

They recovered from that slow start to beat the Scarlets 36-19 at the Aviva Stadium, with two-try winger Tommy O’Brien named BKT URC Player of the Match.

Head coach Leo Cullen said: “The Scarlets came with plenty and tested us in lots of different areas. We are delighted to get a win and score six tries. If you had offered me 36-19 beforehand, I would have been pretty happy.”

The Fidelity SecureDrive Lions have shot up to fifth having made it four league wins in a row by beating Dragons RFC 42-26 in Johannesburg where scrum-half Nico Steyn scored two of their six tries.

Cardiff Rugby have dropped down to sixth after losing 21-15 to the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban, with the hard-fought win for the Sharks keeping their play-off hopes very much alive.

Munster Rugby and the Vodacom Bulls stand seventh and eighth respectively to complete the current play-off berths after serving up one of the games of the season at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld.

Bouncing back from last weekend’s 45-0 defeat to the Sharks, the Irish visitors outscored their South African hosts by five tries to four, with flanker Thomas Ahern crossing twice.

But the boot of Handre Pollard ultimately proved decisive as the Bulls posted a 34-31 bonus point victory, with their scrum-half Embrose Papier scorching over for a brace of tries and teenage winger Cheswill Jooste showing his huge potential with a searing strike from distance.

For Munster, there was the significant consolation of two losing bonus points which could prove vital in the Race to the Eight.

Their coach Clayton McMillan said: “You always want to win, but it’s a decent reward for the effort the boys put in. It was a huge improvement on last week. I am proud of the boys. It’s going to be a real race to the finish.”

There was another clash between play-off hopefuls in Galway where Connacht Rugby beat the Ospreys 21-15, with replacement scrum-half Matthew Devine racing over for the decisive try six minutes from time.

It was a fifth straight league victory for the west of Ireland province, but their skipper Paul Boyle was far from satisfied.

“It’s nice to be five from five, but we will all be pretty gutted we didn’t get the bonus,” said the No 8.

“We weren’t good enough across all facets of the game. It’s a small step back compared to the last few weeks. There were just so many areas we weren’t at the top of our game. It’s quite disappointing.”

Giving his thoughts, Ospreys head coach Mark Jones said: “We played much better than last week. We had our chances. The game is about moments and we just lost a couple of big moments.”

Connacht are now just a point off the play-offs with only four points separating fifth and ninth as the Race to the Eight hots up, with 15 of the 16 teams still mathematically in contention.

Cardiff seeing the bigger picture

Cardiff know from painful experience just how important every single point is in the race for the BKT URC play-offs.

So, while they were disappointed to lose 21-15 to the Sharks in Durban, they know the bonus they picked up in defeat could prove a crucial consolation.

Last season, the Arms Park outfit missed out on the play-offs by just a point after being in the top eight for most of the campaign.

As such, they know to value the losing bonus point they secured courtesy of Ioan Lloyd’s late penalty at Kings Park on Friday night.

It’s kept them in the top six with four rounds of league matches left to play.

Summing up the mood in the camp, fly-half Callum Sheedy said: “It hurts that we lost because we are competitive professionals.

“The feeling in the dressing room immediately after the game was disappointment that we didn’t come away with a four or five point set.

“But I think in the bigger picture it’s going to be a good point in the long run.

“We’ve seen how close the table gets at the end of the season. Last year, we missed out by a point, so every point is definitely crucial.

“We’ve got a big finish to the season coming up now.”

Cardiff led after half an hour thanks to a brace of well executed tries from wing Mason Grady, but a double by flanker Phepsi Buthelezi helped the Sharks take a 21-12 interval lead.

That was to be the end of the scoring until full-back Lloyd landed the bonus point penalty seven minutes from time.

Reflecting on Cardiff’s gutsy display, Sheedy said: “Some of our defensive sets, especially in the second half, were massive.

“To hold a team like the Sharks – with their physical runners – for 12, 13 phases really shows the culture we have in the squad

“If we had been a little bit more clinical in the 22 towards the end, we could have got the win. Little moments, little inaccuracies probably cost us.

“But I’m really proud of the boys, really proud of the performance.”

The narrow loss to the Sharks followed a 40-7 defeat to the Bulls in Pretoria last weekend.

Giving his thoughts on the experience of touring South Africa, Sheedy said: “It’s amazing.

“Last year was actually my first time here and I think it was probably my favourite rugby trip of my life. I absolutely loved it.

“It really is a rugby mad country. Everyone has got the Springbok jersey on and the fans absolutely love it. It’s class to be fair.”

Adding his views on the game against the Sharks, head coach Corniel van Zyl said: “You could see the boys gave it their all and the fight was great. It was close at the end, but we just came up short, so still lots to work on.

“Last season, when we toured South Africa, we didn’t get a point, but this year we have one point, so that’s definitely the positive.”

What’s coming next?

There’s now a two week break from BKT URC action as the focus switches to the knock-out stages of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.

All but two of the BKT URC teams are involved in next weekend’s last 16 matches in the two competitions with a number of them facing each other.

You’ve got Glasgow v Vodacom Bulls and Leinster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby in the Champions Cup, while it’s Connacht Rugby v Hollywoodbets Sharks, Benetton v Cardiff Rugby and Ospreys v Ulster Rugby in the Challenge Cup.

The following week sees the Quarter-Finals and then it’s back to BKT URC action with Round 15 on the weekend of April 17-18. That involves a couple of derbies with Ulster hosting Leinster in a big Belfast top four clash, while the Scarlets entertain Cardiff in Wales.

Some wise words from a Wales great have proved to be spot on when it comes to Reuben Morgan-Williams’ rugby journey.

The Ospreys scrum-half is now a decade into his career, but readily admits it has gone by like a flash.

“I was thinking about it the other day because it’s ten years since I played for Wales U20s,” says the 28-year-old.

“I remember when I was 18, Dan Lydiate used to say ‘Boys, you’ll be 28 before you know it’ and here I am now!

“I never used to believe him back then. It’s strange when you look back. It feels like a while ago, but it happens so fast.

“The appearances just seem to rack up. It’s a strange one again in terms of how the time goes. When I had my 100th a couple of seasons ago, I didn’t think I had played 100 games.”

He made his debut for the region way back in September 2017 when he was still a teenager.

“I’ve been at the Ospreys for so long, I’m part of the furniture,” he says.

“The boys are great and the coaches as well. The group of boys we have are so tight. I love the Ospreys. It’s where I’m from.”

The Neath-born Morgan-Williams is set to make his 130th appearance in Saturday’s crucial BKT URC clash with play-off rivals Connacht Rugby in Galway.

He is firmly established as a key figure in the set-up, with his skill set and decision making, while he’s also highly elusive as he demonstrated by beating more defenders (eight) than any other player in last weekend’s round of league matches.

His fine form has seen him included in Wales’ last three international squads. He made his Test debut in the victory over Japan in Kobe last summer and added a second cap against South Africa in November.

He wasn’t to add to that tally during the recent Six Nations when he was left with a watching brief as Tomos Williams and his Ospreys colleague Kieran Hardy took on the scrum-half duties.

“I’m not going to lie, it’s always tough when you don’t get an opportunity,” he admits.

“You are training every day and you are pushing for a spot, but that’s international rugby at the end of the day.

“I’ve just got to keep pushing on and hopefully get a good run of form towards the end of the season and try again in the summer.”

Morgan-Williams says the competition with fellow No 9 Hardy – for both club and country – has benefited his own game.

“Obviously, we both want the starting jersey. To have a player like that to go against is good. It’s always good to have competition. It pushes you on,” he said.

“To be fair, I’ve always been here with good scrum-halves, with the likes of Rhys Webb. You learn from all different people who come in.

“Kieran is obviously a class player and I feel like it’s pushed me forward with my game having him here. We bounce off each other well.”

For both scrum-halves and the rest of the squad, the focus for the remainder of the season is firmly on the battle for BKT URC play-off spots.

Having lost 31-19 to Benetton Rugby in Treviso last weekend, the Ospreys are now six points off the top eight down in tenth spot.

So it will be a huge game for them when they take on ninth-placed Connacht this weekend.

“When it gets to this part of the season, it does seem like every game is a cup game,” said Morgan-Williams.

“The way the table is, it ends up being every game is a must-win. It is throughout the year, but you get more of a visual of it as you get closer to the end of the season. Hopefully we will get over the line.”

Ospreys head coach Mark Jones is full of praise for Morgan-Williams, who cites Shane Williams as his rugby hero.

“He has been awesome. I have really enjoyed working with Reuben,” said Jones.

“He’s a really coachable guy. I can’t give him enough compliments. When he’s around our squad, we are a better team for it.

“The Ospreys have had some awesome nines over the years, if you go back to Justin Marshall, Mike Phiillips, Jason Spice and Rhys Webb.

“Reuben was in the squad with Rhys, a British Lion, a top international player, so he had to be really patient and fight his way into the team.

“But I think he’s really grown his game. He’s a real competitor and he’s got a real appetite on both sides of the ball. He injects speed into the game.

“What I like about him is his personality. He’s just straight talking, no messing around, tells you what he thinks.”

Bundee Aki is ready to keep on going for as long as he can and there is certainly no sign of his powers waning.

The Connacht Rugby and Ireland centre will turn 36 next month, but he remains a mighty physical presence out on the pitch.

He confirmed that with his contribution to the Triple Crown-clinching victory over Scotland in the final round of the Six Nations and then again with a BKT URC Player of the Match display in Connacht’s statement victory away to Ulster Rugby on the weekend.

The Auckland-born Aki made 14 carries, put in 11 tackles and claimed two breakdown steals in the 26-19 bonus point triumph at Belfast’s Affidea Stadium.

It was the perfect way for him to celebrate having just signed a one-year contract extension with the IRFU.

Speaking after the game, he said: “I’m absolutely delighted to stay for another year and I’m looking forward to it.

“I’ll put my heart out for this club, and I’ll put my heart out for this country as much as I can and for as long as I can.”

Reflecting on the Belfast showdown with Ulster, he said: “We knew it was going to be tough. It’s a hard place to come and play. It’s a hostile area.

“Ulster are a great team; they are well coached. We knew we had to dig deep and big credit to the boys for doing that.

“It’s an inter-pro and I think the biggest part of an inter-pro is physicality. It goes a long way. Physicality was one of the big parts of our game.

“Inter-pros are great to play in. I love inter-pros. You’ve got guys playing up against each other and there’s a lot to prove.”

That’s now four BKT URC wins on the trot for play-off chasing Connacht who are up to ninth in the table and level on points with the eighth-placed Vodacom Bulls as they look ahead to Saturday’s meeting with the Ospreys in Galway.

The 69-cap Aki said: “The boys who have been playing for the last couple of weeks have dug in well and put in a good platform for the boys that have been away in Ireland camp to come back and perform well.”

Head coach Stuart Lancaster was full of praise for his veteran centre.

“He was involved in a huge game with Ireland the previous weekend,” he said.

“In my mind, I am thinking ‘Is he good to go?’

“So, I spoke to him and said ‘Are you good to go?’ and he said ‘Yeah, I’m good to go’.

“He trained really well. He trained on the Monday, even after winning the Triple Crown with Ireland.

“Bundee was on great form. The energy he brings is amazing. It’s great to have him back.”

Along with Aki, fellow Irish Six Nations squad members Finlay Bealham, Darragh Murray, Cian Prendergast and Billy Bohan also rolled up their sleeves to start against Ulster.

“To double down and play in an inter-pro and give so much shows what the club means to them,” said Lancaster.

“They were delighted in the changing room.”

Two-try winger Finn Treacy echoed his coach in praising the returning Six Nations contingent.

“Getting the Ireland boys back in, they really drove and led the week. They gave us such belief, helping us younger lads,” he said.

“We knew how tough the challenge was going to be. Ulster are playing very good rugby and they were undefeated at home this season. It’s such a tough place to come.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be any walkover. It was going to need a full 80 minute performance.

“But there was just a confidence there in the group that we were going to do it. We have that inner belief now. We’ve got momentum these last few games.

“It was a really proud performance for Connacht. There was some feeling there at the end.”

There was also yet another touchdown for No 8 Sean Jansen who is the BKT URC’s leading try scorer this season with nine.

“We talked about this being our glass ceiling moment,” said the man from Dunedin.

“We feel like we are going on a run. The boys are starting to click. You can see in our defence. The boys are tight and they are loving it. What a feeling!

“We have got the Ospreys next weekend now, so hopefully we keep our run going and we get into that eight.”