Ruthless Glasgow Warriors boost home quarter-final hopes with win in Munster

PA Sport Staff

Glasgow Warriors turned in a ruthless five-try performance to claim a 38-26 bonus-point BKT United Rugby Championship win over Munster at Thomond Park.

Glasgow outplayed one of their main play-off rivals to take a giant leap towards a home quarter-final.

The Scots punished a misfiring Munster to lead 28-0 at half-time, as Fraser Brown’s early maul try was added to by captain Stafford McDowall, Domingo Miotti and Cole Forbes.

A drop goal from 18-point fly-half Miotti was followed by quickfire tries from Munster’s Gavin Coombes and Craig Casey – only for Tongan international Sione Vailanu to crash over on the hour mark.

Although Munster’s five-match winning run in the league came to an end, replacement Josh Wycherley and Calvin Nash both touched downed for a late bonus point.

It was fifth hosting fourth in Limerick, Glasgow building some solid early foundations through their strong set-piece and clever kicking game.

Hooker Brown, one of nine returning Scotland internationals, was driven over from a fifth-minute lineout, with Miotti converting. Munster number eight Coombes was held up just minutes later.

Glasgow doubled their lead to 14-0 in the 24th minute, centre McDowall using Brown’s reverse pass to race through and score despite Joey Carbery and Nash’s attempts to hold him up.

Miotti then found a gap between Paddy Patterson and Diarmuid Barron to make it 21-0. A costly knock-on prevented Munster from opening their account.

Indeed, Franco Smith’s men bounced into the second half on the back of Forbes’ brilliant bonus-point score. Influential Argentinian Miotti extended their lead with his 44th-minute drop goal.

Belatedly awaking from their slumber, a purposeful 52nd-minute Munster maul resulted in Coombes wrestling his way over.

Carbery converted and also added the extras to Casey’s follow-up effort, the scrum-half darting over from a ruck.

Nonetheless, when Glasgow got back into scoring range, Jamie Dobie fought for every inch in a carry before number eight Vailanu powered over for Miotti to convert.

Prop Wycherley replied in the 70th minute after Coombes was stopped short. A long pass from Casey released Nash for the right corner, but it was too little, too late from Munster.