Glasgow blow Ulster away in Pro14 semi

PRO14 SEMIFINAL REPORT: Glasgow Warriors scored seven tries and delivered a statement of intent in beating Ulster 50-20 in their Pro14 semifinal.

Early leaders thanks to Tommy Seymour’s third-minute score, the hosts led 24-3 at the break following further efforts from Ali Price and Rob Harley.

Seymour added a second after the break, with Kyle Steyn, Peter Horne and George Horne also crossing to set up a date with destiny against either Leinster or Munster at Celtic Park next weekend.

In a breathless start, it was the hosts – dominant from the get-go – who drew first blood just three minutes in.

Not for the first time during the evening, flyhalf Adam Hastings was the architect, flighting a defence-splitting pass over to the right-wing for fellow Scotland international Seymour to crash his way over.

The Warriors were playing like a side determined to seize their chance of a final in their home city, dominating possession and territory against the overwhelmed visitors.

But with Ulster typically stoic in defence, it took until the end of the first quarter for the Conference A side to further press home their superiority.

This time it was the turn of another Scotland international to impress.

Price, a key figure for Gregor Townsend’s side towards the end of the Six Nations campaign, making the most of space on the blindside to scurry home on the left wing following a dominant maul.

#GUINNESSPRO14 finalist ✅
Man of the Match ✅

Not a bad night’s work for @GlasgowWarriors‘ Matt Fagerson! 🏅

A beast in the tackle & in the loose 👊 pic.twitter.com/ERP3ILtgX7

— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) May 17, 2019

Ulster responded with their first foray into the Glasgow 22, yet received scant reward, Hastings and John Cooney trading penalties to leave Dan McFarland’s men two scores off the pace.

That was not the end of the first-half scoring, either, flank Harley grabbing his first try of the season from close-range just before the whistle to dent hopes of an Ulster fightback.

Similar was to follow after the break, with tiring legs opening up even more space for Glasgow to exploit.

55 minutes were on the clock when Stuart Hogg, in his final home game as a Glasgow player, provided another glimpse of his top-level ability by freeing Seymour for the wing’s second of the evening.

It was the sixth time the two had linked for a try in the Pro14 this season, and the pair’s connection will be key to their hopes of taking the main prize later this month.

With their lead nearly insurmountable, still Glasgow pressed, and Steyn and Peter Horne dotted down either side of a trademark Marcel Coetzee score.

Rob Herring grabbed his eighth try of the season from a driving lineout, with George Horne and Michael Lowry exchanging late efforts as Ulster restored some pride.

The scorers:

For Glasgow Warriors:
Tries: Seymour 2, Price, Harley, Steyn, P Horne, G Horne
Cons: Hastings 6
Pen: Hastings

For Ulster:
Tries: Coetzee, Herring, Lowry
Con: Burns
Pen: Cooney

Teams:

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Kyle Steyn, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ali Price, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Callum Gibbins (captain), 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Jamie Bhatti.
Replacements: 16 Grant Stewart, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 D’Arcy Rae, 19 Ryan Wilson, 20 Tom Gordon, 21 George Horne, 22 Pete Horne, 23 Huw Jones.

Ulster: 15 Jacob Stockdale, 14 Robert Baloucoune, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Louis Ludik, 10 Billy Burns, 9 John Cooney, 8 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 Nick Timoney, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 4 Iain Henderson, 3 Ross Kane, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Eric O’Sullivan.
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Andy Warwick, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 Alan O’Connor, 20 Sean Reidy, 21 Dave Shanahan, 22 Michael Lowry, 23 Darren Cave.

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), George Clancy (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

Congrats to @GlasgowWarriors the first of this years #GuinnessPro14 Finalists

What a performance!#PRO14Proud #TheFinalCountdown pic.twitter.com/Q7eye7y4X4

— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) May 17, 2019

Source: @PRO14Official