Glasgow Warriors 50-0 Southern Kings

  • 1 November 2019

Glasgow Warriors returned to winning ways in style this evening, as they ran in 50 unanswered points to record a dominant victory over the Southern Kings at Scotstoun.

Eight tries from Dave Rennie’s men – including five in the first-half – saw them secure the full complement of five points from proceedings, as the hosts overpowered their visitors under the Friday night lights.

With early November rain and smoke from a nearby fireworks display making early visibility tricky, it was perhaps no surprise the early play had the sense of each team figuring the other out. It was the hosts that were the first to strike, however; whilst the Kings did well to repel an initial drive from a five-metre lineout, the visitors could do nothing to stop Grant Stewart from powering over from close range. Adam Hastings couldn’t add a tricky conversion, but the Warriors were up and running.

From then on, the pressure was built almost exclusively by the Warriors. The midfield axis of Pete Horne and Huw Jones was dictating play, whilst George Horne was keeping the Kings defence on its toes.

It was a typically darting play from the younger Horne that led to the home side’s second score on 17 minutes. The scrum-half’s snipe was stopped just inches short, before Matt Fagerson was on hand to pick up and crash over under the posts. Hastings added the extras and the Warriors led 12-0.

Straight from the restart, the Warriors were in again – after Hastings booted a penalty from inside his own half to within seven metres of the Kings try-line, captain Callum Gibbins produced an impressive finish under pressure to burrow his way over for try number three of the opening quarter and put his men in full command.

There was to be no let-up from Glasgow, and the bonus-point was secured after just 23 minutes. With Kings captain Ruaan Lerm in the sin-bin for a shoulder charge, it took the Warriors just a minute to make their advantage count. Oli Kebble was the man to do the damage, with the loosehead racing over unopposed from 15 metres to give Hastings a simple conversion from directly in front and the Warriors a 24-0 lead.

Then came a bit of Fijian flair, much to the delight of the Warrior Nation. From a turnover, the ball was flung wide to Niko Matawalu and the winger did the rest, chipping ahead and firing the afterburners to scorch home from 60 metres. The conversion was wayward, but no-one in the crowd was worrying about that small detail.

As if that wasn’t enough, there was to be more strife for the visitors before the interval as Sbura Sithole became the second Kings player to receive a yellow card, this time for a deliberate knock-on. The Warriors were unable to add to their tally before the break, though, as a satisfying first-half came to a close.

There was a lengthy stoppage just a minute into the second stanza that curtailed any momentum from either side, as Erich Cronje was stretchered off with a serious-looking injury to an ovation from all four stands at Scotstoun.

When play resumed, it was the hosts that picked up from where they left off. Once again it was turnover ball that did the damage, as Glenn Bryce fed DTH van der Merwe to allow the Canadian to race up the touchline. Despite being stopped just three metres short, Zander Fagerson followed in his brother’s footsteps to be first on hand to pick up and dot the ball down, with Hastings converting for a 36-0 lead after 46 minutes.

Whilst replacements from both sides disrupted the flow of the game as the game ticked on past the hour mark, there was to be no let-up from the Warriors. A dominant scrum yielded the next points of the night on 63 minutes, as referee Joy Neville awarded the home side a penalty try in front of the East Stand.

Try number eight was a far more free-flowing affair, as the Warriors struck from distance. Again the score originated from turnover ball, as replacement Jamie Dobie whipped the ball wide before quick hands from Matt Fagerson freed van der Merwe. The winger hurtled up the wing, before weaving inside and outside to take play up to the Kings 22. From there, it was the movement of the ball that did the damage, as Pete Horne’s looping 30-metre pass found the unmarked Ratu Tagive for the simplest of finishes. Hastings’ conversion brought up the half-century, and the Warrior Nation expressed their delight.

For such an attacking display, it was perhaps surprising that there would be no further scoring, yet the Scotstoun faithful were in no mood to complain. 50 points and a bonus-point win sent Glasgow fans home happy, as the Warriors now prepare for the trip to Zebre next weekend.

live commentary 7:35 PM Friday 1 Nov 2019

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Kick-off 7:35 PM

Glasgow Warriors

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