Warriors do the double over Carter’s big-hitters

HISTORY beckons for Glasgow Warriors as the Scottish side secured a Champions Cup double over Racing 92.

Tries from Josh Strauss, Fraser Brown and Ali Price, Finn Russell adding a conversion and two penalties, sent the Warriors to the summit of Pool 1 on Friday night at Scotstoun Stadium.

Racing could barely muster an attacking phase, Xavier Chauveau eventually breaking their hosts defensive line in the 79th minute, Benjamin Dambielle converting.

“It’s a huge achievement, a great statement to our players, to the people in Scottish rugby, that we can take on the best and beat them,” said Warriors head coach, Gregor Townsend, who departs at the end of the season to take the Scotland job.

“You could feel the energy was right there from the start,” added Josh Strauss, who was making his 100th appearance for Glasgow.

“When we saw their team, one of the biggest packs I’ve ever played, we knew what they were coming to do. We just stuck to our plan and got the job done.”

Glasgow were worth every point of their lead, outscoring their wooden, aging opponents from the kick-off. Racing simply were not at the races and looked like an unfamiliar collection of players, rather than the talented runnersup of a year ago.

They lacked ideas and cohesion, churning out expected forward dominated moves, barely testing the Warriors, ignoring the playmaking skills of Dan Carter.

Glasgow have played consistently and well in recent years in the Champions Cup, but never as impressively as this against one of European rugby’s superpowers.

Leading 23-0 after 46 minutes’ courtesy of tries from Strauss, who latched onto a cute inside pass from Tommey Seymour after Stuart Hogg had broken through Racing’s defence, Brown, diving over from close range, and Price, Russell converting one and adding two penalties.

Racing were thoroughly dominated up front and denied any sort of attacking momentum in the backline by a powerful Warriors defensive effort.

They did manage to halt the flow in the latter stages as Glasgow began to tire, and with a minute remaining, Chauveanu went over in the corner with Dambielle converting.

But the Parisians were well and truly beaten.

“We are very disappointed,” said Racing director of rugby Ronan O’Gara. “But we came up against a tough Glasgow side who gave away little.”