Warriors back at the top after 13-try thriller
MATCH REPORT: Cardiff’s unbeaten start to the United Rugby Championship season came to an end as Glasgow edged an enthralling encounter to rack up a 52-36 bonus-point victory.
Matt Sherratt’s side welcomed the reigning URC champions to Cardiff Arms Park full of confidence after opening the season with victories over Zebre and Scarlets.
But they eventually had to settle for just a try bonus point in a game that produced 13 tries.
Glasgow made the ideal start with the game’s first score after just six minutes when Jamie Dobie burst through a gap in the Cardiff defence to score. Tom Jordan converted.
Cardiff soon drew level. Dobie pulled his leg back to kick clear from close to the Glasgow goal-line and was pushed over by Dan Thomas, with the flanker diving on the loose ball to score. Callum Sheedy added the extras.
It soon got better for the hosts as they forged in front. The ball was worked through hands from the back of the scrum, with Ben Thomas feeding Cam Winnett to forge over the line.
Cardiff did not have the lead for long, however. A powerful burst forward from Sione Tuipulotu carried Glasgow into dangerous territory, and when play was recycled, Kyle Rowe breezed through two tacklers to reach the line.
Jordan failed to convert but atoned with an individual intercept try. The fly-half grabbed Sheedy’s attempted pass in the Glasgow half before running 70 metres for a try that he converted.
Warriors were now well on top and Tuipulotu barged over Sheedy before running around three defenders to land Glasgow’s fourth try and with it the bonus point before half-time.
Cardiff were struggling to contain the champions and soon conceded a fifth score when Jordan fed Huw Jones who strolled over. Jordan again converted.
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Cardiff made five changes at half-time and soon reaped the benefits when Ed Byrne broke through after numerous pick-and-go forays close to the Glasgow line. Tinus de Beer added the extras.
The Welsh side grew in confidence and another thrilling team move concluded with Millard teeing up Mackenzie Martin to touch down and land Cardiff’s bonus point.
De Beer again converted and then knocked over a penalty to draw his team to within four points. Matt Fagerson’s maul try – converted by Jordan – stretched Warriors’ advantage only for it to be cancelled out by Ben Donnell’s scrambled try that de Beer converted.
It was breathless stuff and Rowe claimed his second score after a powerful run from Jack Dempsey carried Glasgow into scoring range. This time Duncan Weir added the extras before setting up Jordan for his second score and Glasgow’s eighth to round off a classic encounter.
The scorers
For Cardiff
Tries: Thomas, Winnett, E Byrne, Martin, Donnell
Cons: Sheedy, De Beer 3
Pen: De Beer
For Glasgow Warriors
Tries: Dobie, Rowe 2, Jordan 2, Tuipulotu, H Jones, Fagerson
Cons: Jordan 5, Weir
Teams:
Cardiff: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Mason Grady, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Harri Millard, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Alun Lawrence, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Ben Donnell, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Liam Belcher (captain), 1 Corey Domachowski
Replacements: 16 Evan Lloyd, 17 Ed Byrne, 18 Rhys Litterick, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 Mackenzie Martin, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Tinus de Beer, 23 Gabriel Hamer-Webb.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Facundo Cordero, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 Jamie Dobie, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Matt Fagerson, 6 Gregor Brown, 4 Alex Samuel, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Rory Sutherland
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Richie Gray, 20 Max Williamson, 21 Euan Ferrie, 22 Ben Afshar, 23 Duncan Weir
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rhys Jones (Wales), Gareth Newman (Wales)
TMO: Griffon Colby (South Africa)