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Glasgow overran the Gunners at Firhill 46-6 this afternoon maybe the atmosphere at Queens Cross intimated the Edinburghers
WARRIORS CELEBRATE WITH SIX-TRY WIN
Posted: 04/Dec/05
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Glasgow Warriors delayed their Sunday lunch until mid-afternoon and then set about gorging themselves on six tries in winning 46-6 against Edinburgh Gunners to celebrate their return to Firhill. The bonus point was secured in first-half added time, and by then Glasgow were all but out of sight at 29-6.
Graydon Stadiforth had two of the Glasgow tries. Colin Gregor John Beattie, Kevin Tkachuk, and Graeme Morrison scored one each, and Gregor added 14 goal points. Dan Parks also kicked a conversion.
Duncan Hodge scored Edinburgh’s only points with two penalty goals. Those allowed his team to lead 0-3 and then (after 17 minutes) 6-3. Glasgow onslaught started seven minutes later
GUNNERS THRASHED BY ‘OUTSTANDING’ WARRIORS
Posted: 04/Dec/05
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GLASGOW WARRIORS 46 EDINBURGH GUNNERS 6
The Edinburgh Gunners were thrashed 46-6 tonight by the Glasgow Warriors in the return Celtic League fixture that saw a reversal in both performance and scoreline from the match at Murrayfield at the end of September, which the home side won 28-12.
In defeat, Gunners’ head coach Todd Blackadder described Glasgow’s performance as “outstanding” and insisted that his own side have a lot of work to do before Heineken Cup champions Toulouse come to Murrayfield in just six days.
He said: “That was the worst performance of the season, it was disappointing and we were really poor. It’s hard to put your finger on exactly why because our preparation was good but we missed a lot of tackles, we were slow at the breakdown and created poor ball. Under pressure we capitulated but great credit to Glasgow and their defence – we didn’t even look like scoring a try tonight.
“We had everything to play for and we’re not good enough to underestimate anyone but exactly the same thing happened to us at the Borders earlier in the season. We were out passioned and out muscled. We now have to work hard and get ourselves back up the Celtic League and we can’t afford to take steps backwards. Tonight it wasn’t a step backwards, we were smashed back,” he added.
It was the Gunners who opened the scoring as scrum-half Mike Blair broke from the fringes of a ruck before the ball was quickly moved along the line to centre Peter Jorgensen. Glasgow were penalised at the breakdown and stand-off Duncan Hodge stepped up to slot the goal after 10 minutes.
That lead was quickly cancelled out as Glasgow’s stand-off and sevens specialist Colin Gregor kicked a penalty of his own four minutes later. Some two minutes on and Hodge converted another opportunity and that was the end of Edinburgh’s scoring.
Glasgow on the other hand didn’t hold back as they pressurised the Gunners’ line for several minute. Edinburgh held fast in the tight onslaught but eventually two long passes produced an overlap and tonight’s deserved man of the match John Beattie was on the touchline to run in the first try and the lead.
Just four minutes on and Glasgow were in for their second as full-back Graydon Staniforth cut through the Gunners’ defences. He kicked the ball long to the corner and from the lineout his side were awarded a scrum. Beattie picked from the back and popped on to prop Kevin Tkachuk who powered over the line. Gregor converted for a 15-6 lead.
Two more tries followed before half time as, firstly, Hodge’s goal-line clearance was charged down by young flanker John Barclay. Gregor’s reactions and pace won him the chase to the ball before converting his own try. Two minutes into injury time Staniforth maximised on an overlap out wide to run in at the corner. Gregor converted to take Glasgow 29-6 up at half time.
A Gregor penalty from the kick-off gave the home side a further three points before Beattie set up another try for his full-back as he popped the ball off the deck to Staniforth on a looping run. Gregor was again accurate to go ahead 39-6.
Replacement prop Lee Harrison was yellow carded by referee Alan Lewis for a ruck infringement but even with 14 men Glasgow were able to score again although the Gunners came agonisingly close. For the visitors, a scrum five metres out saw Blair go blind but pop back inside to replacement back-row Alan MacDonald. He fed Simon Cross in turn but the flanker was deemed to be held up over the line. Five minutes on and Glasgow centre Graeme Morrison dived over at the other end for replacement stand-off Dan Parks to convert from the corner.
Blackadder had decided to rest several top players with the likes of Chris Paterson, Marcus Di Rollo, Allister Hogg and Simon Taylor left out of the 22. Blackadder said: “I don’t regret resting those players at all but in their absence this was a chance for the other players to step up. I look at it more as a team performance because as a squad we didn’t fire a shot. A team is only as good as its depth but this match wasn’t a true reflection of our season.
“Glasgow have got good young players and I thought John Beattie was outstanding tonight – he looked like a young Ally Hogg. I’m more concerned however about what didn’t go right for us,” he added.
Ahead of the crunch Heineken Cup match this Saturday he said: “We have to be honest with ourselves and look at this game. Only through doing that can we go forward. I’m not going to make any excuses – our focus was on this game. We don’t believe in looking a week ahead and I don’t want to take anything away from Glasgow’s performance – I thought they were outstanding.
“I felt we had to make some changes because it wasn’t quite working out there. I’m not just blaming the players – it’s down to the coaches too. A lot can happen in a week of rugby and there’s an opportunity next week to right the wrongs and forget some bad memories,” he concluded.
This article was originally posted on 4-Dec-2005, 18:31 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 4-Dec-2005, 19:00.
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