Ruthless Glasgow Warriors show title credentials with thumping win over Scarlets

Franco Smith’s side knew that a win in Wales would catapult them into second place in the table and they managed it with a bit to spare. Buoyed by the return of Scotland forwards Scott Cummings, Rory Darge and Zander Fagerson and helped by Scarlets indiscipline, Warriors ran in seven tries as they demonstrated they will be a force to be reckoned with come the playoffs. Kyle Rowe claimed a hat-trick as Glasgow sent out a warning to Harlequins ahead of the teams’ meeting on Friday night for what will be a highly-anticipated Champions Cup round of 16 tie.

Glasgow were thoroughly dominant against a Scarlets side already out of playoff contention. The hosts didn’t help their prospects when they went down temporarily to 14 men after just four minutes when Tom Rogers upended Rowe in the air and was shown the yellow card. Glasgow were quick to take advantage as they claimed their first try of a one-sided match. Sebastian Cancelliere was sloppy as he tried to power over the line with just one hand on the ball, allowing Scarlets to knock it out of his grasp. Warriors were undeterred, however, and soon worked the ball wide, with a terrific looping pass from Tom Jordan allowing Rowe to stroll over in the corner. Duncan Weir made the first of four conversions.

There was little seen of Scarlets in an attacking sense but, from a rare dart from deep, Tomi Lewis was stopped only by a try-saving tackle by Cancelliere. Ioan Lloyd knocked over a penalty to finally get the Welsh side on the board but beyond that it was all Glasgow. They landed their second try through familiar methods. Their maul hasn’t been as devastating a weapon in recent weeks but they deployed it to good effect here. Weir kicked to the corner and the pack rumbled over the line, with Gregor Hiddleston flopping to the ground to claim the glory.

Warriors could have scored their third before the break, only for Rowe to be held up by Lloyd with the line in his sights. That was a let-off for Scarlets but their luck would turn for the worst when Glasgow did get try number three in the first minute of the second half. Dan Jones, on as a half-time substitute, saw his clearing kick bravely blocked by Cummings, with the Scotland second-rower collecting the ball to dot down.

George Horne thought he had claimed the bonus point try with a goal line snipe but he had taken several attempts to do so and the TMO chalked it off, much to the annoyance of Weir and Rowe who were queuing up unmarked outside of him. Instead it was the maul that delivered that crucial fourth score, with Italian referee Gianluca Gnecchi blowing for a penalty try.

Jones’ night got worse when he was sent to the bin, where he was soon joined for a minute by Sam Lousi who was fortunate to only see yellow for thrusting an arm into Horne. With Scarlets still down to 13, Warriors landed their fifth score, with Johnny Matthews getting the try, before Rowe took a long pass from Stafford McDowall to claim try number six and then completed his hat-trick with the clock in the red.