Glasgow Warriors player ratings: Sione Tuipulotu the ‘fulcrum’ of stunning first half before ‘different beast’ Bulls shut the door
Glasgow Warriors duo Sione Tuipulotu and Kyle Steyn impressed in the first half.
Following a 22-21 loss to the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship semi-final at Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Saturday, here’s our player ratings for Glasgow Warriors.
The backs
15 Josh McKay: Such an underrated cog in this Warriors machine, he racked up a game high 15 carries for 92 metres. However, his threat waned in the second half as Glasgow were starved of possession. 7
14 Kyle Steyn (c): His well-taken try on 15 minutes was just reward for his early efforts and he doubled his tally soon after, taking a perfect pass from Sione Tuipulotu. Steyn finished with 70 metres to his name but a large chunk of those came in the opening quarter, summing up his and Glasgow’s afternoon, which knocks him down a rating point. 7
13 Stafford McDowall: Not his usual marauding self in the Glasgow midfield as the Bulls had him well shackled. Was slick with ball in hand in the first half, though, while running smart lines. A rare piece of much-needed possession in the second period saw him slice a kick downfield into touch, summing up his team’s day. 5
12 Sione Tuipulotu: Such timing and delicateness in his passing game as the Warriors backline were a joy to watch in the first half. Gave the final pass for Steyn’s second try and was the fulcrum of his side’s attack. Gave everything to the cause but unfortunately it was not enough. 7
11 Kyle Rowe: Enjoyed ample space on the left wing due to Glasgow’s fantastic passing game as they created so much for their wide men early on. A game high 105 running metres was evidence of that as he was a safe option in possession. 7
10 Dan Lancaster: Dislodging the ball from Harold Vorster early on fired up the fly-half. However, he was coolness personified with ball in hand as Glasgow’s attack fizzed in the opening 40 minutes. Nailed his first conversion from wide out and doubled his tally off the tee soon after. Lancaster couldn’t reproduce those first-half moments, though, and was eventually replaced on 68 minutes. 6
9 Jamie Dobie: Thrown in as a last-minute starter after George Horne was ruled out at the eleventh hour. His service was immaculate and he threw in an intelligent kick from the base in the first half. The Scotland international tried and tried to revive his charges, but the Bulls were a different beast as the match wore on. 7
The forwards
8 Jack Dempsey: The Glasgow supporters at Murrayfield were excited when Dempsey had room to motor, such is his usual dominance in that area. However, he simply could not have the required impact today and was eventually replaced just after the hour mark. 4
7 Rory Darge: A real nuisance at the breakdown the first half and he went on to finish with 20 tackles to his name. How Glasgow would have wished for some breakdown penalties in the second half, though. 6
6 Matt Fagerson: His footwork before contact was a feature of the game early on and he was equally effective without the ball, pressuring the Bulls on numerous occasions. Like Darge, he ended up with 20 tackles on the board and was the pick of Glasgow’s pack. 7
5 Alex Samuel: A nuggety showing in the air and on the ground, especially in that bright Glasgow start. Samuel’s presence helped to force a crooked throw from Johan Grobbelaar in the dying embers of the first half which was valuable. He was his team’s go-to lineout option and made 11 tackles in a solid showing. 6
4 Scott Cummings: Dovetailed nicely with Samuel as the pair impressed with their work-rate and set-piece responsibilities. A victim of team offences saw him yellow carded for being trapped on a Bulls player at the ruck and the Lion faded thereafter. 5
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
3 Zander Fagerson: More than held his own against Gerhard Steenekamp and was busy around the field too, making an impressive 10 tackles. 6
2 Gregor Hiddleston: Back in the starting line-up this week, as he replaced Johnny Matthews, he impressed at the coalface. Unlucky to be denied a try due to the Bulls infringing at the maul but was solid in the execution of his key duties. 6
1 Patrick Schickerling: Won a crucial turnover on his own 22 with a quarter of the game played and was also a running threat. Munster’s struggles at the scrum against this Bulls set-piece were well documented last weekend, but Glasgow were noticeably solid in an even contest for the most part. 7
Replacements: Franco Smith desperately needed an injection of gainline power from his bench as the Bulls came out a difference side after the break. However, none of his substitutes had the required effect, with the scrum struggling and backline continuing to misfire as the wheels well and truly came off in a scoreless 40 minutes from the Warriors. 3
READ MORE: Glasgow Warriors v Bulls: Result, scorers, match stats, line-ups