Dogged Glasgow singing the Blues
GREGOR TOWNSEND admitted Glasgow Warriors ran out of steam as their unbeaten start to the season hit the buffers in Cardiff.
Stuart Hogg, Peter Horne and Ali Price all crossed for the Warriors in a thrilling clash. But the visitors were undone by a crucial try on the stroke of half-time by Samoan centre Rey Lee-Lo after Alex Cuthbert’s early score.
And Glasgow’s attack faltered late on to leave the Welsh capital with just a losing bonus point as their 10-game unbeaten run against Cardiff came to an end.
Afterwards, head coach Townsend admitted: ‘It’s disappointing. We did well to get our game going and get back into the lead after conceding early points.
‘We scored two good tries and left another one out there. So it was very disappointing to make a defensive error in the 40th minute and concede that try.
‘We also lost Josh Strauss (head injury assessment) at half-time which was a big blow because he had been carrying very well.
‘The last 20 minutes we needed a score but the game became a stalemate, the ball was very slow and there were some big collisions that really took the energy out of our attack.
‘That’s something we need to look at and work out where is the space and what is the right option.’
A large crowd flocked to the Arms Park for what was expected to be the contest of the weekend between two sides both unbeaten after the opening fortnight.
Cardiff ’s plastic pitch is no longer a novelty for Glasgow given their own new surface and the opening exchanges promised plenty.
Townsend had made six changes to the side that had beaten Leinster that included a first start for centre Nick Grigg. And the Scotland Sevens international had his hands full with opposite number, livewire Samoa centre Lee-Lo.
He was at the heart of Cardiff’s attack and his break as early as the second minute led to Gareth Anscombe kicking the opening points.
Anscombe then doubled Cardiff’s lead 10 minutes later, although Glasgow were happy just to concede the penalty given their slow start.
Glasgow had to be disciplined in defence to make up for errors in midfield that saw Cardiff twice held up over the line.
Wales and Lions wing Cuthbert made sure it was third time lucky when he timed his burst on to Anscombe’s pass and easily beat the on-rushing Grigg to open a 13-0 lead.
Glasgow were in desperate need of a spark and it came with a helping hand from Cardiff.
A forward pass presented Glasgow with an attacking scrum and the Warriors were ruthless with a move straight off the training pitch.
Clegg’s inside pass sent Horne scorching through and the centre did not think twice before spinning his pass wide for Hogg to score from Glasgow’s first sight of the try-line. Horne then went over himself moments later, barging his way through tackles, including a thunderous hit from Tongan prop Taufa’ao Filise for Glasgow’s second try.
Clegg’s conversion completed the turnaround, yet Glasgow could only hold on to their one-point lead for seven minutes as Ellis Jenkins and Josh Navidi combined for Lee-Lo to score in the corner.
Glasgow began the second half on the front foot.
Hogg released Lee Jones out wide where the winger did well to step inside and keep the move alive.
Price then spotted half a gap and also had the only player on the pitch smaller than himself in Matthew Morgan. And the scrumhalf brushed off the pint-sized full-back to crash over the line on 50 minutes. Clegg had the chance to regain the lead but crucially hooked his conversion well wide and Glasgow trailed 20-19.
No team has started the Pro12 with three successive bonus-point wins and Horne was left remonstrating with the officials when he was denied a bonus-point and the potential winner.
A mix up between the Blues halfbacks looked to have gifted Horne a try only for referee George Clancy to halt play immediately following a clash of heads.
Nick Williams was lucky to escape a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.
Instead Glasgow replacement Greg Paterson was penalised for pulling down Josh Turnbull at a lineout. Stephen Shingler swept home his kick to settle the tie two minutes from time.