Thank goodness we didn’t see cruel crossbar challenge
WITH Stuart Hogg having already joined Exeter Chiefs and current Glasgow Warriors star Jonny Gray set to head to Sandy Park in the summer, there were a couple of fantastic sub-plots to this match.
Hogg was relatively quiet for most of the game until he had the chance to win it right at the end with his long-range penalty.
It would have been an absolute howitzer if he had put it over from 60 metres.
He did have the wind with him — but it was the longest crossbar challenge we have ever seen.
In some ways, I’m glad the ball hit the bar and did not go over because it would have been heartbreaking for Glasgow if one of their favourite sons had scored the winning penalty in that fashion.
Glasgow were good and probably did just enough to maybe have edged the match. The game was a belter and one which was out of the top drawer.
Huw Jones was so unlucky when the ball didn’t bounce up for him at the start of the second half when he raced through to attempt to score a try.
Nine times out of 10, it would have bounced up for him.
Glasgow were on the money in what was a high-class encounter.
They fronted up physically and their work at the breakdown was very strong.
Exeter are so efficient when they get within five to 10 yards out. They build multi-phase and can score.
They are one of the toughest teams to keep out and Glasgow will be disappointed they couldn’t do it.
Neither side was unable to completely wrap up the game and slow it all down. Exeter’s European form has not been as strong as their Premiership form but they have outstanding players.
At 14-3, Glasgow would have hoped to try to close the game out but you’re never going to do that with so long left in the match.
There were moments when the Warriors had to show character and come back.
They went behind but they stuck to their task.
Looking at Callum Gibbins’ first-half yellow card, the only way to clear out someone is to hit as hard as you can.
It’s a physical game and possibly, if he had been given a red, then you could maybe say there has been contact to an opponent’s head and there is no argument. But probably yellow was fair.
As we move into the next round, we’ll see if Glasgow have done enough to get into the quarter-finals but it’s a big ask.
Glasgow need to keep their fans onside. There’s a little bit of negative press in that some of their top players have moved on.
If top players move on and you don’t win matches, it opens you up to a lot of questions — and understandably so.
They need to put in performances like yesterday to keep the belief.
Glasgow have done so well in their
journey from where they were years ago and back in the day when someone as old as me was playing for them in front of 2,000 or 3,000 people.
They are now going toe-to-toe with some of the top teams.
They need to show there is still the ambition and hunger. Without doubt, there is — but it’s just about the perception of what they can do.
Glasgow don’t have the budget of the top French teams. Scottish rugby is probably still low in comparison to some of the big English sides but we need out top players playing well and strong recruitment.
We want to be able to attract the best players to come here and the best players to stay.
Scotland needs teams who are winning to create a culture and identity to build the game and to give the kids something to look forward to.