Glasgow Warriors clinch 10-try thriller
MATCH REPORT: Glasgow Warriors confirmed their progression to the Challenge Cup Round of 16 as they held on to win 40-26 in an 10-try cracker against Perpignan at USAP on Saturday.
Johnny Matthews, Richie Gray, Stafford McDowell, Samuel Johnson, Ollie Smith and Josh McKay went over for the Scottish region, who made it three victories from three in Pool A.
Yellow cards for Smith, Tom Gordon and Cole Forbes made Glasgow’s task somewhat tougher at the Stade Aimé Giral, with USAP crossing four times to take a losing bonus point.
The French hosts started strong as Eddie Sawailau and Nino Seguela dotted down inside 11 minutes, either side of Johnson’s response for Glasgow.
The visitors wrestled control over the remainder of the first half as Smith returned from his early sin bin, Gray, McDowell and Matthews all notching before the interval.
Matteo Rodor kept USAP in contention with a score on 54 minutes while Gordon was in the sin bin, but Smith and McKay had restored Glasgow’s healthy lead 10 minutes later.
Posolo Tuilagi got over for USAP’s fourth in the closing stages after Forbes had seen yellow, but Glasgow ensured the TOP side were handed a third successive pool stage defeat.
Top seeding for the knockout stage will be the target for Glasgow as they host Bath Rugby in Round 4 on Friday, with USAP travelling to Bristol on the same day.
The scorers
For Perpignan
Tries: Sawailau, Seguela, Rodor, Tuilagi
Cons: Rodor (2), Sawailau
For the Glasgow Warriors
Tries: Johnson, R Gray, McDowall, Matthews, Smith, McKay
Conv: Miotti, Weir (4)
Yellow cards: Oliver Smith (Warriors, 2’) ,Tom Gordon (Warriors, 49’), Cole Forbes (Warriors, 68’)
Perpignan: 15 Boris Goutard, 14 Nino Seguela, 13 Afusipa Taumoepeau, 12 Pato Fernandez, 11 Edward Sawaileau, 10 Matteo Rodor, 9 Tom Ecochard (captain), 8 Valentin Moro, 7 Ewan Bertheau, 6 Taniela Ramasibana, 5 Andrei Mahu, 4 Bastien Chinarro, 3 Akato Fakatika, 2 Victor Montgaillard, 1 Xavier Chiocci.
Replacements: 16 Mike Tadjer, 17 Giorgi Tetrashvili, 18 Vatang Jincharadze, 19 Posolo Tuilagi, 20 Antoine Bouthier, 21 Alexandre Perez, 22 Keanu Desrues, 23 Lilian Pichon.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Cole Forbes, 13 Stafford McDowell (captain), 12 Samuel Johnson, 11 Oliver Smith, 10 Domingo Miotti, 9 Jamie Dobie, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Cameron Neild, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Richie Gray, 4 JP du Preez, 3 Lucio Sordoni, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Nathan McBeth.
Replacements: 16 Angus Fraser, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Lewis Bean, 20 Alex Samuel, 21 Tom Gordon, 22 Sean Kennedy, 23 Duncan Weir.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Ben Breakspear (Wales) & Gwyn Morris (Wales)
TMO: Ian Davies (Wales)
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