Sarries beat Warriors in Glasgow
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Mike Rhodes scored the sole Saracens try as the two-time Champions Cup winners defeated Glasgow Warriors 13-3 at Scotstoun Stadium.
The Scottish side dominated the first 10 minutes at Scotstoun but found themselves behind when a Saracens line-out on halfway gave them a platform to make ground and they created the overlap on the left wing, finding Mike Rhodes who sauntered over the tryline. Former EPCR European Player of the Year, Owen Farrell, made no mistake with the conversion.
Glasgow Warriors were punished minutes later for straying offside and that allowed Farrell to step up and pop the ball through the posts, stunning the vociferous home crowd.
Saracens were then the team caught offside, giving Adam Hastings the chance to reduce the Glasgow deficit and he made no mistake from in front of the sticks.
The Scottish side were penned in their own 22 when they won a scrum before the interval but the call was overturned after foul play from Fraser Brown. That gave Farrell the simple task of slotting between the posts to make it 13-3 at half-time.
The Scottish region had several chances in the second half to put points on the board but opted for the corner on each occasion as they failed to puncture the excellent Saracens line, meaning the second half finished scoreless.
Saracens host Lyon in Round Two while Glasgow Warriors will travel to face Cardiff Blues.
The scorers:
For Glasgow Warriors:
Pen: Hastings
For Saracens:
Try: Rhodes
Con: Farrell
Pens: Farrell 2
Teams:
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Ruaridh Jackson, 14 Lee Jones, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ali Price, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Callum Gibbins (co-captain), 6 Ryan Wilson (co-captain), 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Rob Harley, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Oli Kebble.
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Alex Allan, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Greg Peterson, 20 Chris Fusaro, 21 George Horne, 22 Pete Horne, 23 Rory Hughes.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 David Strettle, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Mike Rhodes, 6 Maro Itoje, 5 George Kruis, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Nick Tompkins, 23 Liam Williams.
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant referees: Alexandre Ruiz (France), Thomas Charabas (France)
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (France)
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