URC: Glasgow 31 Munster 22
Glasgow’s depth chart proved to be stronger than Munster’s as the URC leaders made it three wins in a row over Clayton McMillan’s side with an accomplished display at Scotstoun.
Warriors were without 15 Scottish internationals but bossed matters for long periods against a Munster side minus the eight players named in Andy Farrell’s squad. In the end, Munster had to settle for a try-scoring bonus point as they slipped to a fourth league defeat in five games.
The damage was done in the opening half when Glasgow built a 28-5 lead with a strong wind behind them. Munster dominated the opening five minutes but failed to capitalise before conceding 14 points in the next four minutes, with Ollie Smith scoring despite Diarmuid Kilgallen’s tackle in the corner before Dan Lancaster intercepted Tony Butler’s pass to race in.
The Glasgow outhalf, son of Connacht coach Stuart Lancaster, finished with a 16-point haul after a fine display in a backline full of strong running. They had the bonus point in the bag by the break thanks to tries from Olujare Oguntibeju and Josh McKay, the latter scoring after Munster winger Thaakir Abrahams was binned for a deliberate knock-on.
It took some frantic defending on the line by Diarmuid Barron and Dan Kelly to deny Angus Fraser a try three minutes after the restart, while a try from academy hooker Seb Stephen was scratched for a knock-on.
Glasgow’s Jamie Bhatti in action against Munster’s Ruadhán Quinn. Photograph: Craig Watson/Inpho
Munster responded with four replacements in the 46th minute, including a debut for 19-year-old Tom Wood at outhalf. Gavin Coombes, who rescued the province in scoring two tries off the bench against the Dragons last weekend, lasted just nine minutes after suffering a head injury.
Munster got back into the game when Kelly broke from deep and fended Smith before escaping down the right and pulling away to score in the corner after 51 minutes.
Ten minutes later Munster closed the gap further when Glasgow bungled a lineout outside the 22, with Brian Gleeson pouncing when Ewan Ferrie spilled the ball and cut the gap to 28-15 heading into the final quarter.
Wood was again off target with the conversion on the near side but impressed in open play, neatly feeding a Kelly pass to Abrahams, who put Kilgallen in for the bonus-point try. The young outhalf landed the conversion from the left to set up an exciting finish with the margin 28-22.
But that was as close as Munster got. Wood kicked dead with a penalty from the middle of the field just when they were building momentum to try to snatch the game and Glasgow worked the clock thereafter with their superior scrum proving decisive before Lancaster made the game safe with a penalty.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 7 MINS: Smith try, Lancaster con 7-0; 8: Lancaster try, con 14-0; 11: Coughlan try 14-5; 33: Oguntibeju try, Lancaster con 21-5; 40: McKay try, Lancaster con 28-5; Half-time 28-5; 51: Kelly try 28-10; 61: Gleeson try 28-15; 67: Kilgallen try, Wood con 28-22; 74: Lancaster pen 31-22
GLASGOW: J McKay; K Rowe, S McDowall (capt), K Yule, O Smith; D Lancaster, B Afshar; J Bhatti, S Stephen, M Walker; A Craig, O Oguntibeju; E Ferrie, A Fraser, A Miller.
Replacements: S Talakai for Walker (38 mins), N McBeth for Bhatti, S Vailanu for Fraser (both 47), M Duncan for Oguntibeju (65), J Oliver for Afshar, M Urwin for Yule, G Stewart for Stephen, D Cockburn for Craig (all 77).
MUNSTER: M Haley; T Abrahams, S Daly, D Kelly, D Kilgallen; T Butler, E Coughlan; J Wycherley, D Barron (capt), O Jager; E O’Connell, F Wycherley; S Edogbo, R Quinn, B Gleeson.
Replacements: M Ala’alatoa for Jager (17 mins), G Coombes for F Wycherley, J O’Donoghue for Quinn, T Wood for Butler, P Patterson for Coughlan (all 46), L Barron for D Barron (53), F Wycherley for Coombes (56, HIA), J Ryan for Donnelly (68), S O’Brien for Kilgallen (76).
Yellow card: Abrahams (39 mins), O’Donoghue (80+3).
Referee: Craig Evans (WAL).