Matt Fagerson is carted from the field. Image: © Craig Watson –
www.craigwatson.co.uk 
FRANCO SMITH stressed that he remains proud of his team, despite the one-sided defeat Glasgow Warriors suffered against a vastly superior Leinster in this [Friday] evening’s EPCR Champions Cup quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Meanwhile, the head coach indicated that he fears that Matt Fagerson’s season is over following an ankle injury suffered late in the match.
“We’re proud as a team,” said Smith. “We’re obviously disappointed but if you look at it, we were outplayed by an international team.
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“And we knew coming here that they would be up for this. They haven’t played much since the Six Nations so they are fresh, and they have a point to prove in Europe, but we still came with our best intent, and I can’t fault the effort of the boys.
“We were just absolutely outplayed in every facet of the game. I’m not the first coach to sit here and say that. I think other coaches have sat here and said how good they are.
“The score as a reflection of the game looks big. But if you are chasing a score of 33-0 at half-time you are going to take chances in areas of the field where you shouldn’t and that is going to lead to other points.
“Once a year, or once a season, with a good team, flips like this happen. It is just unfortunate we came up against an extremely good team. They scored 62 points last week, and now they have scored 114 points in two games. They must be doing something well, and that’s where the compliment sits tonight.
“I’ve said to the boys in the changing room, we know now what’s needed. We keep telling them every week that we need to improve in every area of the game, because to be international rugby and specifically at the back-end of this competition, it is going to take a lot more than we are already doing.
Smith added: “Matt Fagerson has suffered a serious lower limb injury and he’s gone to hospital to be x-rayed. We’re hoping for the best. It doesn’t look like the bone was misplaced so from that perspective it is positive, but I think most of these things end up in surgery anyway. I’m not the doctor but I suspect he’ll miss the rest of this season.
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