GLASGOW are getting closer to the standard they need to reach before they take on Saracens in the Champions Cup in a fortnight but need to learn how to calm down and get their skills right.

So says Jason O’Halloran, the backs coach, who saw plenty in the match against the Dragons at the weekend to encourage him but also plenty that needs to be fixed in training this week.

It is always a balance. A team like Glasgow need to play the game quickly, so that they can catch defences while they are disorganised, but if they take that too far, they put themselves under pressure and make mistakes – which is exactly what happened against the Dragons last week. It was a case of over-compensating for the lethargic performance in South Africa.

“It is a little bit to do with not having played well the week before and wanting to take the game on,” O’Halloran said. “Rugby is really a balance between having the right physicality and aggression – being really energetic, aggressive and wanting to come at the opposition – but that can take away from your skills – the catch-and-pass stuff, things like that.

“I think that is where we were at last week, after a poor, really lethargic performance against Kings. We need to find that balance between being really psyched and physical and having those little intricate skills. That is the balance we are trying to strike this week.”

As the coaches and players suggested straight after the game, a lot of the problems stemmed from players being too eager to take on the opposition and not giving themselves the time or space to do it effectively.

“You are always going to have a bit of ring rust after a nightmare like the Kings. We got the energy and the effort we looked for but need to marry that up with a better coordination this week against Zebre,” O’Halloran added.

“We need to hold a little more depth in attack so that we can dictate to the defence and use our feet. We allowed the Dragons to dictate to us at times by being too flat.

“That is a relatively easy fix, hopefully. Just apply a bit of pressure at training and make guys aware that if we apply a couple more metres of depth we have a chance to use our footwork and be able to distribute the ball into space under a little less pressure.

“After a really bad one you are not going to be a million per cent the next time but you look to see the improvement in attitude and energy as a foundation. We got that. Now we need to add a little polish.”

Glasgow get the chance to show they have learned how to balance aggression and control this weekend against Zebre before taking that into the match against Saracens where they will need everything to go their way against a team that have not only won all five of their matches in the English Premiership but have taken bonus points from each one as well.

“It’s in the back of our minds but we realise we need to try to carry some momentum into European competition. There is a chance to do that [against Zebre] after a decent win last weekend – so it’s a base camp this week for us to improve and then really go into Saracens with a bit of confidence,” O’Halloran added.

“We’re giving some guys an opportunity this week, but we’re also looking to build up a couple of combinations in key areas.

“There will be guys who will look at this game as an opportunity to play their way into [the team against] Saracens, and there will be other guys rested so the we can bring them back fresh for that game. There are two or three guys in that forward pack who had a heavy week and need a rest.”

O’Halloran knows Zebre are not the walk-over they have often been in the past but they have yet to win away from home this season – their last win outside Italy was against Connacht in February – and conceded 68 points the last time they visited Scotstoun, so they are nowhere near the challenge that awaits the following week.

“They will bring a lot of heat in defence, a lot of line speed,” he predicted, “They are very dangerous, a really good offloading side.

“Number one is to pressure their set piece defensively and try to get our shape really quickly in attack, so that we can attack them both sides of the ruck, while showing the same levels of energy.

“We need to be a little more circumspect ion offloading because they can really punish you. While the Dragons did not have that much ambition to play off the ball we gave them, Zebre certainly will.”