GLASGOW Warriors may have lost to Connacht in their last game, but according to hooker Pat MacArthur their big-match experience could see them through when they go back to Galway for the PRO12 semi-final on Saturday.

The Warriors made life difficult for themselves in the last match of the regular season when Sila Puafisi got sent off in the second half. But the 14 men still only lost 14-7 and were pressing hard at the end. This time, MacArthur thinks, they can get the better of the Irish province - provided they keep a rein on their emotions.

It is the fifth year running that the defending champions have been in the play-offs, but the first time ever for Connacht. And MacArthur, who is competing with Fraser Brown for a starting place, is sure that the knowledge of what it takes to win through to the final will stand his squad in good stead.

“Hopefully that experience, of being in the final twice as well, will help us,” MacArthur said yesterday. “Knowing how we should be feeling, how we should be dealing with it, and how best to use that feeling.

“There is a big, passionate crowd [at the Sportsground], but sometimes that spurs you on as well. We had a great Glasgow following that we’ll get again.”

The passion that the Warriors always put into their play was misdirected at times during their loss last time, not only by Puafisi but also by Jonny Gray, who conceded a penalty that resulted in one of Connacht’s two tries. Head coach Gregor Townsend has stressed the importance in the coming game of what he has called emotional control, and MacArthur agreed that maintaining some sort of composure amidst the mayhem was vital.

“The boys just tried too hard on occasions,” he said of that loss. “That’s the best way to put it. We have to understand that we push ourselves to the limit, but not over that. That’s where that control has to come.

“When Gregor talks about emotional control, he knows how much it means to us every game. And he’s trying to say use it to our advantage rather than distract us from what we’ve been planning.”

On Monday Puafisi was given a three-week suspension for the head butt that got him sent off in the second half 11 days ago. “He’s a passionate, big man,” MacArthur continued. "When he spoke to the boys he was down.

“He said he was gutted that he had put the rest of us under pressure. That was his main message. He said he would work his hardest to make it up to us all.

“He said he would do his best in the scrum sessions. He knows that’s where he can help, because he can’t play - that’s where he’ll give his all. That’s how our team work. The boys not selected give their all to push the starting boys.”

Meanwhile, the Warriors have agreed a pre-season friendly with Harlequins at the Stoop on 20 August. The match is part of the London club’s 150th-anniversary celebrations.