Warriors’ European dream dealt fatal blow but Edinburgh hopes stay alive
Glasgow’s European hopes in tatters after Fagerson lashes out
IT was a cocktail of emotions for Glasgow Warriors as this Heineken Champions Cup clash reached a dramatic climax. From a euphoric high to the painful depths of despair — and all in a matter of seconds.
Warriors thought they had snatched at least a draw after Scott Cummings’ last-gasp try looked to have levelled the scoreline at 12-12.
Had it been allowed, they would then have had the chance to kick the conversion and secure a priceless victory.
But it was agonisingly ruled out after the TMO had spotted that Warriors No8 Matt Fagerson had led with his arm in a tackle during the build-up.
The look of resignation on Fagerson’s face as he was shown a red card by referee Wayne Barnes said it all. It was a forearm smash on La Rochelle prop Dany Priso — and he knew it.
In the end, Glasgow slipped to a damaging defeat which now leaves their European hopes in tatters.
Realistically, they will now have to secure bonus-point wins over Exeter
Chiefs at home and then away at Sale Sharks on the final day in January.
It’s not impossible, but the Warriors are now living on a prayer. Amid some filthy conditions in this Scotstoun slog, they were simply blown away.
Indeed, they were battered by La Rochelle’s giant Fijian centre Levani Botia. Nicknamed the ‘Demolition Man’, he was a standout man of the match.
As a spectacle, it was hellishly grim — illustrated by the fact that neither team were able to score a point during the second half.
With his team facing a mountain to climb, head coach Dave Rennie admitted: ‘I’ve had a look at it (the Fagerson tackle) and there’s clearly a forearm to the throat.
‘It’s an attempted fend and he (Fagerson) hasn’t quite got it right. It came on the back of a try — it would have been a tough conversion from there for Adam but you never know.
‘It’s disappointing. We created so many other opportunities but lacked patience and tried to score off the first phase when we should have gone multi-phase.’
With La Rochelle already out of the running after losing their opening three games, head coach Ronan O’Gara opted to rotate his squad for the trip to Glasgow.
The French side certainly didn’t lack ambition, though, and they were intent on running the ball as much as possible.
The same applied to Glasgow. Yet, although both sides were intent on playing expansive rugby, it proved to be easier said than done.
The ball was like a bar of soap, slipping through the fingers of countless players any time they opted to throw it wide.
Glasgow were slowly beginning to turn the screw and, after applying some exerted pressure inside the La Rochelle 22, they scored the opening try on 16 minutes.
The move started with a penalty — and a booming kick to touch from Adam Hastings. It caught the wind and Glasgow ended up with a lineout only five metres out.
Cummings took it well and, once the driving maul had rumbled over, it was hooker Fraser Brown who was in possession of the ball to touch down, with Hastings slotting a terrific conversion.
But La Rochelle refused to go away. Their opening try on 22 minutes may have came in comical circumstances, but it was thoroughly deserved.
After winning a penalty, veteran fly-half Brock James opted to go for the posts from just inside the Glasgow half. Ambitious, given that it was into the teeth of the wind.
There was also the fact that the posts were swaying like a well-oiled Christmas reveller. The kick from James barely made it halfway — and
actually ended up coming backwards towards the end of its flight.
It was so bad, indeed, that it was gathered by a pack of La Rochelle players in what ended up being an excellent attacking field position.
Brieuc Plessis dinked a clever kick through for winger Jules Favre to finish expertly in the corner, although James was unsuccessful with the conversion.
There was no doubt that La Rochelle were causing problems. Their big Fijian centre Botia was looking particularly dangerous and offered plenty of attacking thrust.
It was Botia who got his team’s second try on 35 minutes — and he started the whole move with an exquisite offload.
After scrum-half Alexi Bales had taken it on and jinked through a gap, Botia powered over from close range under the posts. James made no mistake with the conversion.
La Rochelle deserved their 12-7 lead at the interval. They were smarter in the way they looked after the ball amid some some steadily worsening conditions.
Glasgow were kicking themselves. They had played with the wind at their tails in the first half yet had nothing to show for it.
Botia’s influence in the game was growing — and Hastings found himself on the receiving end of a crunching hit early in the second half.
Glasgow began to dominate territory, though, and La Rochelle’s desperation grew. The French side’s ill-discipline saw them concede eight penalties in the space of 10 minutes around the hour-mark.
Referee Barnes was extremely lenient, before finally showing a yellow card to scrum-half Bales after he had cheekily kicked the ball away at the back of a scrum.
Despite late pressure, Glasgow could not capitalise. The drama only served to compound their misery. SCORERS; Glasgow — Tries: Brown. Cons: Hastings. La Rochelle — Tries: Favre, Botia. Cons: James. Referee: Wayne Barnes (England).