Glasgow claim narrow win to end early-season drought

Adam Kyriacou
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Glasgow Warriors sealed their first win of the PRO14 season after they edged Cardiff Blues 17-13 in a tight game at Scotstoun on Saturday.

Early converted tries from Callum Gibbins and Nick Frisby set last season’s runners-up on their way and the Warriors held on after Cardiff Blues had reduced the deficit to four points just after half-time.

The Blues have now lost to Scottish sides in successive weeks following their defeat to Edinburgh last time out, having started their campaign with a 31-27 win over Southern Kings.

Glasgow, meanwhile, came into the match on the back of consecutive defeats, going down heavily away to the Cheetahs before losing 25-21 at home to the Scarlets.

However, the Warriors had not lost back-to-back matches at Scotstoun since 2016 and they looked determined to extend that record as they came flying out of the blocks.

They were 14-0 up inside eight minutes as first captain Gibbins touched down following a line-out drive and Frisby followed him over soon after.

Frisby’s score came after Glasgow received the restart kick from Gibbins’ try, swept upfield and saw centre Nick Grigg burst forward before setting up his scrum-half to dot down.

Brandon Thomson converted both and Glasgow looked to be in total control.

Cardiff Blues hit back almost immediately when, with their first major piece of possession, the Blues pack pushed forward from a line-out before the ball was switched wide to Aled Summerhill, who touched down by the posts after coming off his wing.

Jarrod Evans added the extras and he also slotted over a straightforward 20th-minute penalty as the Blues went into the break 14-10 down.

The start of the second half saw Thomson and Evans exchange penalties to leave Glasgow 17-13 ahead and with plenty of time for either side to push for victory.

In the 52nd minute the Warriors began a prolonged stay in the Welsh 22 but, having opted against two kickable penalty, they ended up with no points at all after a TMO review declared the ball had been held up before the hosts messed up a line-out throw.

Cardiff’s hopes of getting anything from the match suffered a big setback in the 68th minute when lock Rory Thornton was sin-binned after tackling Ruaridh Jackson in the air.

Glasgow turned down the penalty and again their forward drives came to nothing against determined Welsh defence, but in the end the Warriors had done enough to open their win account for the season.

Elsewhere, Ospreys responded from last week’s hammering at Leinster with a hard-fought 24-20 victory against Benetton at the Liberty Stadium.

Hooker Sam Parry crossed the whitewash on three occasions while centre Scott Williams also scored, with Luke Price adding two conversions for what was the Welsh region’s first win of the PRO14 campaign.

In Saturday’s early games there were bonus-point wins for Scarlets and Ulster, who beat Zebre and the Kings at home and away respectively.

Scarlets prevailed 54-10 thanks to crossings from Keiran Hardy (2), Josh Macleod, Ryan Conbeer, Taylor Davies, Johnny McNicholl (2) and Josh Helps, with Dan Jones and Angus O’Brien firing over four and three conversions respectively in an emphatic triumph at Parc y Scarlets.

Ulster overcame their South African opponents 42-17 as John Cooney starred with a 17-point haul that included a brace of tries. Luke Marshall, Rob Herring, Matt Faddes and Sean Reidy also went over as Ulster bounced back in style after last weekend’s big defeat to the Cheetahs.

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