The Herald reports

KEVIN FERRIE October 18 2008
Glasgow Warriors 16 - 22 Toulouse

Too little, too late summed up both Glasgow Warriors' performance on the night and in this season's Heineken Cup as they were beaten by the three-time champions at Firhill last night.

"The guys showed what playing for Glasgow is all about tonight. Each and every one put their hands up and showed the passion and pride that was lacking last week," said Sean Lineen, their head coach, after seeing his side come close to snatching a win in the closing stages.

"Toulouse showed their class. They have so many players who have the X-factor. However, we delivered tonight. It's a week too late in a way, though, and the key is getting that on a regular basis."

advertisement
Half the Warriors pack had been changed, such was management dissatisfaction. However, their one player whose name should be automatically on the national XV's team-sheet as well as his club's gave the lead, John Barclay producing two outstanding pieces of play to put them on the front foot.

First the flanker produced a quality piece of tail-gunning at a lineout inside the Toulouse 22 after Byron Kelleher had been forced to scramble the ball into touch following a clever grubber kick by Bernie Stortoni. Barclay was already battering through when support arrived to get him to within two metres of the line where the French side were forced to kill the ball and Dan Parks knocked his side ahead with the penalty from under the posts.

He then brought back memories of his solo score against Biarritz in this competition last year when he intercepted at the back of a scrum won by Toulouse just outside the Warriors 22 and raced clear. He chipped ahead when he got to half-way then gave chase to bundle Clement Poitrenaud into touch feet from his own line as he fielded the ball.

Having won clean ball at the lineout, the Warriors failed to capitalise but they maintained the pressure, earning Parks another two penalty opportunities. The first looked the more kickable, but having had to wait for the stadium announcer to finish delivering a message, he snap-hooked it wide. The second looked a more ambitious decision, but he sent it over from halfway.

The stand-off was also having success with his aerial bombardment of the Toulouse back three who looked unhappy when having to deal with the wet ball. That nearly produced a chance for Thom Evans when opposite number Maxime Medard guddled in attempting to field a bouncing ball, but the Warriors winger knocked on with the line at his mercy.

The match changed in the 26th minute when Toulouse scored against the run of play. There appeared to be a succession of forward passes as Toulouse broke from their own half. John Beattie then knocked on as he tried to deal with the ball on the retreat at the scrum, but there also appeared to be a similar offence by one of the Toulouse back row. If so, it went unpunished, but given the opportunity, they took their chance in typically clinical fashion, David Skrela stepping past Parks then cutting inside Bernie Stortoni for a try he converted himself .

Parks put over his third penalty, but the Warriors had a lucky reprieve late in the half when, unopposed and having only to catch a straightforward pass from Yannick Jauzion to score, Medard dropped the ball again.

Two minutes after the break Maleli Kunavore put Toulouse back in front with a drop goal, but the centre's decision to go for it betrayed some nervousness in the visiting ranks. That was eased within two minutes by their second try. Medard made broke down the left and had support from Shaun Sowerby who had Kelleher alongside to take the scoring pass.

They then moved clear with a score from a turnover on their own 10-metre line, the ball inexplicably coming out on the Toulouse side having been taken in by the Warriors. With the defence stretched, Poitrenaud's chip bounced nicely for the pursuing Jauzion and with no-one to beat he cruised under the posts for a try converted by Skrela.

Toulouse were chasing the bonus point but with time running out were left hanging on for the win when the Warriors registered a breakaway score.

A Beattie fly hack towards halfway looked unlikely to do any damage, but a succession of defenders failed to deal with it, allowing Lome Fa'atau to get a boot to the loose ball and the winger chased through to gather just short of the line and dive over. Parks converted to give his side a chance to steal the match. However, given several chances to run the ball they continued to show naivete, kicking it away several times.

This article was posted on 18-Oct-2008, 07:28 by Hugh Barrow.