Warriors blown away in Pro14 showdown
See Pages 112-113
GLASGOW chose the worst time to deliver their poorest home league performance of the season as their title chances were blown away by Scarlets in the Pro14 semi-final.
Dave Rennie’s team had won ten out of ten league matches at Scotstoun prior to last night, picking up winning bonus points in nine of them. But they never looked like maintaining that proud record here after the Welsh visitors easily secured their place in next weekend’s final against Leinster or Munster in Dublin.
Granted, Irish referee John Lacey did Glasgow few favours at times — and losing Stuart Hogg just before kick-off due to illness was a severe blow.
There was poor discipline, too, when Nick Grigg was yellow carded early in the second period.
But this was largely a self-inflicted defeat, with the home defence porous and too many players dropping off tackles as Scarlets ran in three first-half tries.
Glasgow’s key men like Finn Russell, playing his last game before moving to Racing 92, were mostly anonymous as a Warriors side who have led the way on the domestic front all season had no answer to the power and pace of the reigning champions.
Rhys Patchell, Gareth Davies and Rob Evans all touched down in an early Scarlets blitz as they romped to a 21-3 lead at the break.
Ken Owens then crossed in the second half to create even more of a gap before Glasgow left it too late with consolation tries from Jonny Gray and Grigg.
Shortly before kick-off there was an early sign of things to come when it was announced that talisman Hogg, who had been included on the team sheet, would be replaced at full-back by Ruaridh Jackson.
There was a stunned silence in the capacity 10,000 crowd as they realised their team was going into this crucial clash without one of their genuine game-changers.
They were still coming to terms with the news when Scarlets took an early lead. Just three minutes had gone when the visitors went ahead after a series of Glasgow errors.
Zander Fagerson gave away a penalty, which saw Scarlets kick to the corner and keep the ball tight among the forwards.
Gareth Davies peeled off the back and fed Patchell. He set off on an arching run more in hope than expectation. Even he looked surprised at the amount of space he was given, to the extent that only Grigg was between him and the try line.
You would have put your money on the Glasgow centre putting in a tackle at least but he got his angles all wrong and was left scrambling as Patchell went over to score.
The Scarlets fly-half also put over the conversion.
Just when the visitors were trying to turn the screw they suffered a huge setback after nine minutes.
Their No 8, Scotland captain John Barclay, went down with a leg injury and had to be replaced by Lewis Rawlins.
Never before has an opposition player had such a send-off as he left the field, such is the respect the former Warriors star commands from the Glasgow fans.
With 13 minutes on the clock, Glasgow put their first points on the board when Russell stroked over a penalty.
But Scarlets went further ahead in 16 minutes after some dreadful defence in midfield by the home side.
Three players slipped off tackles on centre Scott Williams to allow him to make a break through the middle. Gareth Davies, who had been at the heart of the move, took his pass and cut inside but still had a lot of work to do.
Former Scarlets player DTH van der Merwe had come off his wing anticipating Davies’ break. He was in the perfect position to block his run but slipped on the surface, and that stumble gave the Welsh international a clear path to the line. Patchell put over the extras. Glasgow had to make a forced substitution immediately afterwards, with Fagerson going off injured to be replaced by Siua Halanukonuka.
On the half-hour mark the Welsh side tightened their grip. Yet again the move started on the wing of Tommy Seymour. Full-back Jonny McNicholl, playing in the place of the injured Leigh Halfpenny, did some sterling work up the line in tandem with Steffan Evans.
It paid off when hooker Rob Evans was given an easy run in. Patchell again despatched the conversion for the extra points.
Glasgow thought they had their first try on the brink of half-time but George Horne’s touchdown was ruled out by referee Lacey after an apparent knock-on from Halanukonuka.
The Warriors ended the half camped on the Scarlets’ line but the visitors held firm and went in with a healthy 21-3 half-time lead.
Glasgow needed a good start to the second period but Grigg, already having a nightmare game, was on the wrong side when he kicked the ball out of the hands of a grounded Steffan Evans.
There was no doubt about the yellow card. From the penalty, Scarlets kicked to the corner and, from the rolling maul, captain Owens went over for the try.
Patchell maintained his consistency by putting over the extras.
On the hour mark Jonny Gray gave his side a lifeline at least.
A quick tap from Russell caught the Scarlets defence off guard which allowed the second row to barge over. Russell, however, put the conversion wide.
Gray then thought he had another try shortly afterwards, only for the TMO to rule it out.
With eight minutes left, Grigg gave his side a glimmer of hope when he bundled over the line. It looked an easy conversion for Peter Horne but he somehow managed to hit the upright.
That ruled out any slim chance of a comeback and proved to be scant consolation for what was a painful defeat for Rennie’s men in front of a packed home crowd.
SCORERS: GLASGOW — Tries: J Gray, Grigg. Pen: Russell. SCARLETS — Tries: Patchell, G Davies, Evans, Owens. Cons: Patchell (4). REFEREE: John Lacey (Ireland).