Glasgow Warriors secured one of the best results in the club’s history on Saturday night, beating reigning European champions Leinster at the RDS in Dublin courtesy of a display that bristled with purpose, courage and heroic levels of application.
The defeat was the Irish side’s first at home in some 29 regular season matches and almost two calendar years, which gives ample indication of just what Glasgow achieved on a bright, chilly and ultimately thrilling night in Ireland.
Tries from Nick Campbell and Peter Horne, both beautifully constructed and taken scores, were the headline acts in this victory, but it was underpinned by a raft of positive qualities – tenacious, relentless defence, a rock-solid set-piece and deep, deep reserves of sheer guts.
Not a bad way, then, for the Warriors to claim their first win the RaboDirect PRO12. Next up are Benetton Treviso at Firhill on Friday 23 September, a game that will offer the Glasgow crowd the perfect opportunity to celebrate this victory and, ideally, help point the way to another at the Italians’ expense.
Leinster made the first impression, full-back Isa Nacewa slotting over a third-minute penalty from 25m range after Glasgow were pulled up for side entry at a ruck.
The visitors were forced to endure a few anxious moments in the immediate aftermath, Nacewa threatening to wreak havoc with those twinkling toes, but captain Rob Harley set the tone with a couple of strong early hits and the Warriors gradually felt their way into the match.
They were hugely unfortunate not to level things up on the scoreboard in the 12th minute when Scott Wight, one of three players make their first start for the club, lofted a well-struck penalty towards the posts from just about halfway, only to see the ball come back off the inside of the right-hand upright and dribble away to safety.
The former Melrose man enjoyed better fortune shortly afterwards, collecting his first competitive points as a Warrior after Leinster held on a little too long for the referee’s liking.
Glasgow had a foothold in the game, and with Troy Nathan kicking beautifully to all corners of the pitch to continually turn the pressure back on the hosts, Sean Lineen’s men began to dominate as the second quarter wore on.
On the half-hour mark, they silenced the passionate home crowd with a brilliantly opportunistic score. After patiently recycling the ball deep in the Leinster 22, Glasgow suddenly broke in the hulking shape of Ed Kalman, making his first start of the season at tight-head prop in place of new recruit Mike Cusack.
The big man got the ball away smartly to his fellow front-rower Ryan Grant, and Campbell, a powerful second wave of attack, crashed over to collect a precious try on this only his second start for the team. Wight’s conversion gave Glasgow a four-point lead as reward for their much improved precision and coherence.
Leinster were always dangerous, however, and snatched back an interval lead with a fluent move on the back of a lineout on the Warriors left. The ball was quickly worked into the centre of the pitch by the Irish side, where the Glasgow defence was low on numbers.
Stand-off Ian Madigan danced through to complete the score, Nacewa’s straightforward conversion making it ever so slight advantage Leinster at half-time.
HALF-TIME LEINSTER 13-10 GLASGOW WARRIORS
It was vital that Glasgow sought to seize the initiative early in the second period, and this they did in emphatic style when more aggressive, dynamic work at the breakdown persuaded Leinster to infringe by killing the ball.
Duncan Weir took the tee and levelled things up, much to the annoyance of the home support. The stand-off’s introduction was one of four changes made by the Warriors at half-time, with Cusack replacing Kalman, Pat MacArthur coming on at hooker in Finlay Gillies’ stead and Ryan Wilson taking Rory Pitman’s spot at the base of the scrum.
Frustratingly for the Scots, Leinster were almost instantly back in front when Glasgow strayed offside at the breakdown and Nacewa slotted over three of the easiest points of his increasingly promising career.
Glasgow continued to look menacing with ball in hand, Tom Ryder enjoying a couple of good carries and Campbell continuing to put himself about to positive effect. Trouble, alas, arrived in the shape of a yellow card for Harley, the captain paying the price for a series of ruck offences by his team.
Straight away, Leinster began pummelling the Glasgow line, and drew a further penalty when Campbell was done for side entry at a ruck. Nacewa stepped up to do the business again, but Glasgow kept their nerve and cancelled out this concession when Weir knocked over another effort after Leinster were penalised for holding on.
There was further delight for the smattering of away fans dotted about the RDS as the Warriors scrambled back into the ascendancy with a stunning score. It was all about the incisiveness and awareness of the backline, as the ball was put through the hands to Stuart Hogg in space, allowing the full-back to glide through on one of those silk-smooth runs.
The Hawick man was unselfish enough to spot that Horne, a replacement for Rob Dewey at outside centre, was in a better position to finish the score, and he duly ceded to facilitate the perfect sign-off. Weir's conversion gave Glasgow a four-point lead going into the last 14 minutes.
It was tense, stomach-churning stuff in the closing stages, with the clock taking an eternity to tick round to the 80 minute mark, but Glasgow were not to be denied. The season is up and running, quite emphatically.
Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa; 14 Fionn Carr, 13 Eoin O'Malley, 12 Luke Fitzgerald, 11 David Kearney; 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Cillian Willis; 1 Heinke van der Mere, 2 Richardt Strauss, 3 Jamie Hagan; 4 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Devin Toner; 6 Rhys Ruddock (capt), 7 Dominic Ryan, 8 Leo Auva'a.
Replacements: 16 Aaron Dundon, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Nathan White, 19 Damian Browne, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 John Cooney, 22 Brendan Macken, 23 Darren Hudson
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Stuart Hogg; 14 Federico Aramburu, 13 Rob Dewey, 12 Troy Nathan, 11 Colin Shaw; 10 Scott Wight, 9 Henry Pyrgos; 1 Ryan Grant, 2 Finlay Gillies, 3 Ed Kalman, 4 Tom Ryder, 5 Nick Campbell, 6 Rob Harley (captain), 7 Chris Fusaro, 8 Rory Pitman. Replacements: 16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Mike Cusack, 19 James Eddie, 20 Duncan Weir, 21 Ryan Wilson, 22 Colin Gregor, 23 Peter Horne.

This article was posted on 19-Sep-2011, 10:08 by Hugh Barrow.