THE HERALD REPORTS

Glasgow Warriors 21 Newport Gwent-Dragons 13: Excellent start to Euro campaign


Kevin Ferrie at Firhill

8 Oct 2010
Sean Lineen watched his side claim a vital Heineken Cup victory at Firhill last night that has the potential to be a turning point in their season, then immediately reminded them of the challenge they have next.

Beating these old foes was the minimum requirement if Glasgow are to have any chance of qualifying for Europe’s knockout stages, but he expects next week’s meeting with Wasps to be another step up.

“It has been a testing time since the win over Leinster at the beginning of the season, but we are beginning to make improvements,” he said.

“However, we played Wasps in pre-season and got thumped. They play a basic and incredibly effective brand of rugby.”

His clear determination to keep his players’ feet on the ground was understandable since this was a good win, but could have been much better.

Glasgow were best in the early exchanges and almost scored inside three minutes when DTH van der Merwe crossed the line only for the touch judge to decide he had been forced out of play before doing so.

A fine lineout drive then forced the Dragons into conceding a penalty in their 22, but Ruaridh Jackson sliced his attempt wide of the posts.

Glasgow’s rhythm was disrupted when they were forced to re-shuffle their pack when Tom Ryder had to leave the field following lengthy treatment, Rob Harley moving forward to second-row to accommodate Callum Forrester.

They then suffered a further blow when, on their first meaningful attack of the night, the Dragons broke the deadlock, right winger Adam Hughes getting across to the opposite flank to hit the line with enough speed to take him through a tackle and across the line for a try well converted by Mathew Jones.

With Richie Gray particularly prominent, carrying ball and off-loading well, Glasgow continued to have the bulk of the play and got back within a point thanks to two Jackson penalties.

When the Dragons threatened again, the defence held up much more impressively, forcing a turnover inside their own 22, then stealing a lineout in clearing their lines.

Jackson then demonstrated once and for all that his confidence had not been shaken by that early miss when he opted to go for goal when another penalty was awarded close to halfway, wide on the right. He slotted it to put his side ahead for the first time.

He struck again soon after, this time to add the extra points after a fine try. Colin Gregor made the initial break, darting deep into Dragons territory before finding John Barclay chasing up in support. He was hauled down under the Dragons posts, but possession was quickly won and when the ball was shifted right, Graeme Morrison took the responsibility to force his way over in spite of the attention of two opponents.

That briefly provided a two-score cushion until Jones knocked over a penalty to end the half, and he added a second shortly after the break to put the game on a knife edge.

Glasgow then reasserted themselves. Max Evans and Freddie Aramburu both made great ground on the right, each squirming through several tackles before the ball was moved left where Moray Low and Jon Welsh blasted their way close. When they then went right again the Dragons defence was over-run, but with a two on one overlap looming Morrison dropped Evans’ pass.

However, the try was only delayed, and as they pressed again, Morrison used his strength to create a half break before feeding Aramburu. The winger was blocked inches short but quick ball was won and shifted right where this time no mistake was made as Fergus Thomson took advantage of the overlap.

The game was still in the balance and the crowd made their feelings known after van der Merwe, victim of a vicious-looking spear tackle that went unpunished when these sides met in Wales, was recklessly tackled when jumping to take a high ball. Again the sin binning that the offence merited did not happen and Duncan Weir, having just replaced Jackson, was unable to reach the posts with a shot at goal from inside his own half.

With the officials largely opting out, the closing quarter was unruly and frenetic but Glasgow kept sufficient composure to keep their opponents at long range, so much so that in desperate pursuit of a bonus point Jones attempted a penalty shot at goal from eight metres inside his own half as time ran out.

Summing up the Dragons’ overall uninspired, niggly effort, it fell woefully short.

This article was posted on 9-Oct-2010, 07:34 by Hugh Barrow.