Rennie thrilled with Euro result
Kiwi coach Dave Rennie says his Glasgow Warriors have put their European Champions Cup campaign back on track after a bonus point win in Cardiff.
Rennie – in his second season with the Scottish club since leaving the Chiefs – was happy to take maximum points from a 29-12 win in Cardiff yesterday after losing last week to English club Saracens.
‘‘We’re really happy. Five points away from home – it’s going to be really important after last week’s loss,’’ Rennie told BBC Scotland.
‘‘I thought we were more clinical than we were last week, we defended well again, we played a big chunk of the game without the ball.’’
Former Hurricanes flanker Callum Gibbins co-captained Glasgow, who scored four tries to two and benefited from 14 points by rising Scotland test star Adam Hastings.
‘‘We were forced to defend and scramble and we did a pretty good job. It was important to silence the crowd,’’ Rennie said. ‘‘I thought we started both halves really well and that made a difference.’’
Glasgow bombed out in pool play in last year’s European Champions Cup, but their attacking verve impressed observers in Cardiff.
Rennie said he was ‘‘really happy to get four tries. We had control of the game throughout, so we’re pretty happy with that performance’’.
‘‘A loss would have made it really difficult. We’ve got Lyon two games in a row which will be a really big challenge, they’re a really good side.’’
Meanwhile, All Blacks prop Charlie Faumuina helped French club Toulouse upset European Champions Cup titleholders Leinster.
Toulouse – without suspended ex-all Blacks flanker Jerome Kaino – edged out the Irishmen 28-27 in Toulouse yesterday.
Faumuina started at tighthead for a Toulouse side which raced out to a 14-0 lead after a try and three penalties.
They led 21-13 at halftime before Leinster hit back with tries to Irish test lock James Ryan and hooker Sean Cronin.
Toulouse snapped Leinster’s 10-match winning streak in Europe with Maxime Medard’s second try of the match after a counter attack sparked by an intercept pass.
Head coach Leo Cullen said Leinster ‘‘probably lacked a little bit of control in the first 20 minutes of the game, which allowed Toulouse to build that 14-0 lead, but fighting back from 14 points down is always good’’.
Regis Sonnes, Toulouse’s joint head coach, said the victory was an important feat for his young team, led by 23-year-old hooker Julien Marchand, who scored his side’s other try.
‘‘I am very proud of the players and the work they do on a daily basis,’’ he said. ‘‘We are rewarded. This is a reference match. It’s the victory of a team, a collective.’’
The Newcastle Falcons scored a 40-phase try in the 89th minute to beat Vern Cotter’s Montpellier 23-20 in Newcastle.
Callum Chick scored the clincher after Newcastle – coached by former England No 8 Dean maintained admirable control after the final hooter.
Even Cotter was impressed. ‘‘They managed to keep the ball for eight minutes at the end of the game to win and you have to give them credit for that – it’s a sign of a good team,’’ the Kiwi coach said.