Both Glasgow teams beat Newcastle Falcons in very wet conditions at Burnbrae tonight--reports to follow


Glasgow Warriors 13 Newcastle Falcons 7

Glasgow Warriors Development team 21
Newcastle Falcons Development team 7


A Sky TV film crew turned up at Burnbrae tonight to try to tempt England’s new director of elite rugby, Rob Andrew, to offer them a few soundbites.

Andrew chose to keep his own counsel and was hardly given the rousing farewell to his new post after 11 years nurturing the fortunes of Newcastle Falcons, as his former charges lost both contests to a rejuvenated Glasgow Warriors, much to the delight of the vast majority of the 1,843 crowd.

In the development team game, Warriors, altogether the more combative and creative, won 21-7, while in the main fare, it was another home triumph, this time by the more testing margin, as weather conditions deteriorated, of 13-7.

Of course it’s early days yet but the Sky cameraman may well have footage that points to something akin to a sea change in the fortunes of professional rugby in Glasgow.

As Warriors head coach Sean Lineen reflected: “The one thing that shone out for me tonight in both games was pride in Glasgow Warriors. Neither game was pretty but I thought the defence was outstanding in both.”

In the opening match Warriors began with a 7th minute try where Colin Shaw out-paced Scotland 7s wing Cameron Johnston to touch-down Sean Marsden’s chip-kick through an advancing defence, all off a very decent advantage from referee Graham Knox. Stand-off Ruaridh Jackson converted.

It was level pegging at the interval as Falcons’ flanker Brent Wilson rounded off a driving maul with a try which Toby Flood converted. The second-half, however, saw Jackson, who shaped promisingly, apply the coup de grace to a move that began with his own penalty to touch, as he kicked beyond a flat defence to claim try No 2, adding the extra points for good measure.

And Warriors secured the win with a drive over try from prop Moray Low, after James Eddie and Andy Dunlop had been involved in the build-up with a sustained forward rumble. Michael Adamson converted and not even the departure of skipper Graeme Beveridge with a bump to his thigh could dent Warriors’ satisfaction at the successful outcome to part one of proceedings.

Part two was no gentle, going through the motions exercise. True, Falcons did eschew kicks at goal and, particularly in the second-half, showed more ambition than offered by their development side.

But there was an exuberance about Glasgow that belied the driving rain. Al Kellock and Andy Newman gave a rumbustious lead up front and new recruit on the wing, Thom Evans, suggested that he has buckets of rugby in addition to the precious commodity of pace.

Dan Parks’ two penalties gave the hosts a half-time lead of 6-0 and within five minutes of the restart that was boosted by a drive over try credited to Donnie Macfadyen, from Newman’s lineout take. Parks converted.

Newcastle did pull back a try through left wing Ollie Phillips on the hour with Jonny Wilkinson – who played the entire game – converting from near the left touchline.

Wilkinson and Joe Shaw at inside centre tried to spark a revival for the visitors but Glasgow’s defence repelled their attacks and ensured home morale ended on a high.

This article was originally posted on 18-Aug-2006, 20:18 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 18-Aug-2006, 22:32.