Pro12: Glasgow Warriors 14-26 Scarlets
- Published
Pro12: Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets |
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Glasgow Warriors (11) 14 |
Try: McArthur Pens: Clegg 3 |
Scarlets (20) 26 |
Tries: Williams, Davies Cons: Williams, Jones Pens: Jones 3, Thomas |
Scarlets leapfrogged Glasgow Warriors into fourth place in the Pro12 with an impressive 26-14 victory at Scotstoun.
Pat MacArthur gave Glasgow an early lead, scoring from a driving maul, but it was negated when Tom Williams, then James Davies bagged well-worked tries.
Scarlets held a nine-point half-time lead - one their excellence at the breakdown and in defence preserved.
Glasgow produced fleeting glimpses of verve but only had a Rory Clegg penalty to show for their second-half efforts.
This was a big and deserved win for the Scarlets who utterly destroyed Glasgow at the breakdown. Any time Glasgow threatened to get up a head of steam they got turned over on the floor. Their chief tormenter was Davies, who not only scored a try but also served as a brick wall to the home team's momentum.
Things had started pretty well for Glasgow, MacArthur driving over from a lineout maul to make it 8-3 after early penalties from Clegg and Dan Jones. The hooker struck while the Scarlets were down to 14 men, Jones getting binned for a kamikaze tackle on Sam Johnson.
That 10-minute spell was won by the Scarlets despite their numbers deficit, Williams eventually stepping over after multiple phases had stretched Glasgow to breaking point. Williams converted his own score to put the Welsh 10-8 ahead.
Clegg and Jones exchanged penalties again soon after and, then, before the break the Scarlets went over again. Once more it was the product of terrific control and patience in the forwards and accuracy when the moment of truth arrived. Davies took his chance, Jones converted and Glasgow were in major bother at 20-11 down.
Scarlets' dominance at the breakdown carried on apace. Glasgow created good field position but got checked on the floor and retreated in frustration. Clegg's boot made it 20-14, but Jones cancelled that one in quick order.
Then they carried on snuffing Glasgow out at source. They were lucky to avoid a yellow card when Tom Price went head first into a ruck and clattered into Rory Hughes. Referee George Clancy settled for a penalty instead of a card. He could have penalised the Scarlets for a high tackle just after but he let that one go, too.
More breakdown efficiency from the visitors and more errors from the hosts meant the Scarlets eased away to victory. Substitute Aled Thomas banged over three more points a few minutes from the end to put the seal on a comprehensive, and significant, win.
Glasgow Warriors: P Murchie, L Jones, N Grigg, S Johnson, R Hughes, R Clegg, H Pyrgos (captain); A Allan, P MacArthur, D Rae, B Alainu'uese, S Cummings, R Harley, C Fusaro, A Ashe.
Replacements: J Malcolm, J Bhatti, S Puafisi, R Vernon, L Wynne, G Hart, H Schulte, S Lamont.
Scarlets: J McNicholl, T Williams, G Owen, H Parkes, DTH van der Merwe, D Jones, J Evans, W Jones, R Elias, W Kruger, T Price, L Rawlins, A Shingler, J Davies, W Boyde.
Replacements: E Phillips, L Garrett, N Thomas, T Beirne, J Macleod, A Davies, A Thomas, S Hughes.
- Published9 February 2017
- Published9 February 2017
- Published8 February 2017