URC: Glasgow Warriors 22 Connacht 19
In a frustrating afternoon for Connacht, a disappointing defeat to Glasgow Warriors has all but diminished any hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions Cup rugby through the URC top eight.
Connacht’s inconsistency and unforced errors proved costly against a Glasgow outfit missing a host of international players and thus Connacht’s losing run in Scotstoun continues with their last victory in Firhill way back in September 2010.
“Not gone yet, but it has left us with a lot of work to do,” says head coach Pete Wilkins. “And this game was so important in making up the difference. With the form of our Challenge Cup and with them missing players, to not take the win was really disappointing.”
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Fourteenth in the table before kick-off, but in confident form after their European exploits, Connacht needed a win to give them a glimmer of hope of making the URC top eight, but they failed to take advantage of a weakened Scottish outfit.
Glasgow had led 17-5 at the break. The experienced Duncan Weir had knocked over a penalty after nine minutes before Connacht took a temporary lead try courtesy of David Hawkshaw’s block down and try. But they were unable to add the conversion before Glasgow responded through a Sebastian Cancelliere try, with Weir adding the extras.
With the wind at their backs, Glasgow continued to dominate both territory and possession. A superb lineout steal from Josh Murphy kept them at bay just yards from the Connacht line, but Glasgow scrumhalf Ben Afshar added try number two. Then, after capitalising on a poor Connacht kick, a barnstorming run by Patrick Schickerling allowed Alex Samuel to add the third try for a 17-5 lead.
Connacht, despite dominating possession and territory, were well marshalled by the Glasgow defence, who enjoyed a 90 per cent tackle success rate in the opening half. However, it looked more positive for Connacht after the restart, when Hawkshaw finished a superb attack with JJ Hanrahan adding the conversion, cutting the deficit to five points, but a penalty minutes later hit the upright.
When Cancelliere added a second try after 58 minutes for a 22-12 lead, Connacht’s top eight hopes were in real jeopardy. Chasing the game, they created a chance with two penalties to touch, but failed to convert, and as mistakes started to mount in the face of a well-organised defence, the hailstones continued to dampen their spirits.
Paul Boyle won a deserved penalty to give them a faint hope with with five minutes remaining, but their failure to retain and deliver with a surfeit of possession, proved costly. A Paul Boyle break helped deliver a Piers O’Conor try, but it was too little, too late.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 8 mins: Weir pen, 3-0; 19: Hawkshaw try, 3-5; 22: Cancelliere try, Weir con, 10-5; 32: Afshar try, Weir con, 17-5. Half-time 17-5. 42: Hawkshaw try, Hanrahan con, 17-12; 58: Cancelliere try, 22-12; 77: O’Conor try, Hanrahan con, 22-19.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: J McKay; S Cancelliere, O Smith, D Munn, F Cordero; D Weir (capt), B Afshar; P Schickerling, J Matthews, F Richardson; E Ferrie, A Samuel; A Miller, H Venter, Jack Mann.
Replacements: S Talakai for Richardson and N McBeth for Schickerling (both 51 mins); A Fraser for Miller (59); G Stewart for Matthews (70).
CONNACHT: S Cordero; C Mullins, P O’Conor, D Hawkshaw, B Ralston; JJ Hanrahan, C Blade; P Dooley, D Heffernan, J Aungier; D O’Connor, J Joyce (capt); J Murphy, S Hurley-Langton, S Jansen.
Replacements: P Boyle for Jansen, M Devine for Blade and S Illo for Aungier (all 55 mins); F Treacy for Ralston (58); D Tierney-Martin for Heffernan, O Dowling for O’Connor and J Duggan for Dooley (all 62); J Carty for Cordero (71).
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU).
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