JACKSON COLUMN: Glasgow prepared for an occasion like no other

They will smash the ground's attendance record for the third time in four weeks, a phenomenal achievement generated on the strength of the long winning streak behind their right to host the first play-off on Scottish soil. Now only one formidable barrier stands between the Warriors and their first Grand Final on May 31 - Munster.

The occasion will be like no other - Munster, twice champions of Europe, multiple semi-finalists and RaboDirect PRO12 winners in 2011, against the one team to have swept everyone aside since the beginning of March. The Warriors' on-field momentum has been matched by a steep rise in their off-field appeal.

Against Ulster last month, they pushed their league attendance record to more than 7,400. Against Edinburgh a fortnight later, they raised it to almost 9,000 and now the box-office has been braced for another battering since fans began queuing in the teeming rain after last week's rout of Zebre for their play-off tickets.

Ground staff have been flat out preparing for the rarity of a five-figure gate, so rare that Glasgow has scarcely witnessed such a multitude for a rugby match since the original All Blacks made their pilgrimage to Hampden Park more than a century ago.

Nobody could possibly be more deserving of a home semi-final than Gregor Townsend's largely all-Scottish squad. The eight-match winning run which began against the Scarlets on March 22 has brought them 29 tries as touched down by 16 different players and 36 points from a maximum of 40.

Of all those wins, the one that stands out happens to be the most relevant. The banner at Scotstoun proclaiming Whatever It Takes has real meaning because taking Thomond Park by storm requires some doing.

Few manage that and fewer still come away with as decisive a victory as the one the Warriors achieved there last month. In beating Munster at their mighty citadel by a margin of 22-5, the Warriors outscored them 3-1 on tries. The significance of that win can be gauged from the probability that had the result gone the other way, the Scots would be preparing for another trip to Limerick.

After three abortive semi-finals on the road, the Warriors have sure paid their dues, not that they will waste any time dwelling on the fact that all eight semi-finals since the advent of the play-offs five seasons ago have been won by the home team.

Nobody over the years can have won as many big matches on the road as Munster. Townsend and his coaches, along with skipper Alastair Kellock and the players, will be acutely aware of the 'Red Army's' most recent skirmish at Scotstoun last October when JJ Hanrahan accounted for the only try and all the points in a 13-6 away win.

Munster, beaten at home again last weekend by ancient rivals Ulster, were last in Scotland barely a fortnight ago, flexing their muscles against Edinburgh in a mighty demonstration which added up to seven tries and 55 points. Head coach Rob Penney was back in the Scottish capital last weekend for the RaboDirect PRO12's annual awards night.

The New Zealander found himself under the spotlight on stage at Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre to collect the Coach of the Year award, as voted by his peers in the league. Penney, heading soon for pastures new in Japan, had his mind on the more serious business of Glasgow on Friday night once he had acknowledged his award.

"This is a wonderful accolade," he said. "To be awarded something like this is extremely humbling. I'm sad to be leaving Munster at a time when they have the capacity to kick on."

In the finest theatrical tradition, he will want to leave them clamouring for more by taking the RaboDirect PRO12 crown back to the broad, majestic Shannon for the first time since 2011. But for recurring technical indiscipline during the first half against Toulon in Marseille last month, who knows Munster might have been preparing for another European Cup final.

"The Warriors deserve a home semi-final," Penney said. "We've had a bit of an up-and-down run of late which is disappointing. We are going to have to play one of our very best games on Friday night."

Once the dust has settled by the Clyde, the other semi-final on Saturday takes Ulster back to the RDS where Leinster beat them in the 2011 semi and again in last year's final. The northerners also know what it takes to win there, 22-18 towards the end of the regular season last year.

As Ulster's retiring captain, Johann Muller will want to make his last stand in the final, ideally armed with a piece of silverware. The same, of course, goes for Brian O'Driscoll and Leo Cullen.

Leinster's venerable duo won due recognition during the RaboDirect PRO12 gala night in Edinburgh, as joint winners of the Chairman's Award for excellence made by the distinguished Scottish Lion Andy Irvine in his capacity as chairman.

He pointed out how O'Driscoll's and Cullen's long careers have run on almost parallel lines, from Blackrock College to Leinster where each made his Celtic League debut way back in 2001.

"Brian is one of rugby's all-time greats, right up there with people like Colin Meads, Gareth Edwards and Mike Gibson and, more recently, with the Martin Johnsons, Richie McCaws and Dan Carters of this world" Irvine said.

"Leo might not match Brian's legendary status as one of the world's superstars but he epitomises everything that is good in the game - a hard-as-nails,uncompromising forward and a tremendous role model."

Play-offs for the Grand Final - how they have fared:

Leinster: Played 4, Won 4
2010 RDS: beat Munster 16-6.
2011 RDS: beat Ulster 18-3.
2012 RDS: beat Warriors 19-15.
2013 RDS: beat Warriors 17-15.

Warriors: Played 3, Lost 3.
2010 Swansea: lost to Ospreys 5-20
2012 RDS: lost to Leinster 15-19.
2013 RDS: lost to Leinster 15-17.

Munster: Played 3, Won 1, Lost 2.

2010 RDS: lost to Leinster 6-16.
2011 Thomond Park: beat Ospreys 18-11.
2012 Swansea: lost to Ospreys 10-45.

Ulster: Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1.
2011 RDS: lost to Leinster 3-18.
2013 Ravenhill: beat Scarlets 28-17.

The RaboDirect PRO12 playoffs are building to an exciting conclusion and you can get involved - buy your tickets to Glasgow Warriors v Munster at https://www.eticketing.co.uk/scottishrugby/details/event.aspx?itemref=359