Emirates Lions v Glasgow Warriors

25 Feb 2023 - 2:15 pm

Emirates Airline Park

Full-Time

35 - 24

view scoring

Tries

Nohamba22′

Horn25′

Rass31′

van der Merwe37′

Venter53′

8′Caven

39′Forbes

57′Jordan

62′Gordon

Conversions

Lombard23′

Lombard26′

9′Jordan

40′Jordan

Penalties

Lombard41′

Lombard76′

Drop Goals

MATCH CENTRE

16:10

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We’re disappointed with the loss, but thank you for following a long with us today.

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Next round: vs. Zebre Parma, Friday 3 March, Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm

FT: Emirates Lions 35-24 Glasgow Warriors

16:07

Glasgow line out

One more opportunity here, Lions clear their lines setting Johnny Matthews up for a halfway line out.

16:06

Glasgow penalty

Glasgow win a line out on the five metre, but Lions steal again. One minute to play.

16:04

3 minutes to play

Glasgow scrum in the centre of the park. A score for Glasgow is vital, as it would bring them within seven points and give them a second bonus point.

Lions penalty

Gianni Lombard adds another three points to Lions’ tally. 35-14

Glasgow unable to create anything while in possession here, Lions’ rush defence has been very effective.

Jordan and Dobie break

Glasgow Warriors turn Lions over and make a 85 metre run on the wing, with Tom Jordan and Jamie Dobie leading the charge.

Dobie makes it to within three metres and is tackled into touch.

Lions red card

Ruan Drever, Lions’ replacement prop is sent off for diving into the ruck straight at Thomas Gordon’s head.

Lions penalty

Lions have another quick-tap penalty five metres from Glasgow’s try line. The last attack from the home side was well managed by Glasgow otherwise, denying them any space to get the ball over the whitewash.

Glasgow try

A short line out and quick maul drive from Thomas Gordon sees Glasgow score a bonus point try. 32-24

15:41

Glasgow penalty

Glasgow finding their feet in this second half a little more now. Another positive sustained attack. It finishes with Lions defence being penalised offside.

Jordan sends the ball to the corner, with 20 minutes to play.

Glasgow try

Glasgow get their third try on the board, with the backs injecting some pace into the attack. Tom Jordan finishes it out wide, with a step inside his defender and short dive over the line. 32-19

Try Lions

A short tap penalty reaps rewards for the hosts with Ruan Venter charging over the line on the second phase. Lions’ lead extendes, 32-14

Lions penalty

This time Lions send a penalty to the corner for the attacking line out.

Glasgow twice have gone to the corner and had five metres to attack, and both times Lions have stolen the line out.

15:28

Lions sin bin

A promising attack from Glasgow there. Every player collecting, finding little half-breaks to gain territory, and always looking for the off load.

Finally, Caven and McDowall take them up to three metres out and a cynical tackle from McDowall’s opposite man, sees Edwill van der Merwe sent to the sin bin.

Jordan goes to the corner.

Glasgow penalty

The Lions are penalised and Tom Jordan sends Glasgow into their opponents half. An precise line out from Fraser is collected and Glasgow opt for the maul.

No movement, and they look to go wide. The next Lions tackle sees Lions penalised again for the support runner coming in off his feet.

Jordan hits the penalty again and Glasgow move all the way to Lions’ five metre line.

Glasgow replacements

JP du Preez and Angus Fraser come on for Ally Miller and Jonny Matthews, giving some fresh legs to the forwards.

Glasgow line out

Lions dominating in possession and opening up space quickly. Glasgow win the line out though after the most recent attack, with a Lions pass going awry, being thrown into touch.

Sione returns

Glasgow hold up the Lions as they maul over the visitors’ try line. Lewis Bean at the centre of the action.

The referee blows up, Sione Vailanu returns from his sin binning, and Tom Jordan clears Glasgow lines with the try line drop out.

Second half

We’re back underway in South Africa. The hosts lead by 13 points.

Simon Berghan comes on in the front row at the break.

15:04

Half Time

HALF-TIME | A penalty to the lions sees them extend their lead just before half time

27 – 14
📲 Follow the game live: https://t.co/7GhbetAmzU pic.twitter.com/sSS40CCFw2

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) February 25, 2023

40'

Penalty Lions

Lombard converts from the tee, taking the score to 27-14 at the break.

40'

Penalty Lions

Unlucky for the Warriors, as a knock-on from the restart hits Bean in front of the play.

Lombard will go for goal with the last kick of the half.

39'

Conversion successful

Jordan adds the extras and we’re back to a 10-point gap.

38'

TRY GLASGOW

Wow.

Now there’s a try you don’t see very often!

Everyone misses the restart, and Matthews shows great footballing skills to hack it forward.

Forbes is there to pick it up and he’s over for the score!

37'

Conversion missed

Lombard misses the conversion from wide

37'

Try Lions

The Lions have a bonus-point – the Glasgow pack hold up the home pack, but Lombard finds van der Merwe with the wide ball to send the winger over in the corner.

35'

Penalty Lions

Tom Jordan is penalised for an early tackle, and Nahamba once again puts play into the Glasgow 22.

32'

Penalty Lions

Chance!

Again it’s Johnson who races through a gap, feeding Matthews on the inside.

Tshituka makes the covering tackle, though, and the referee awards the Lions a penalty as Vailanu comes in at the side.

32'

Glasgow lineout

Horn clears this time, and Glasgow will have the lineout on the Lion 10m line.

31'

Try Lions

It’s a third try for the Lions – Manuel Rass fights off the tackle of Forbes and just has enough strength to hold off McKay to touch down.

Lombard pulls the conversion wide, so it remains 19-7 to the hosts.

30'

Lions ball

Another advantage to the Lions, as Glasgow are pinged for collapsing the maul.

McDowall holds up Tshituka, but the Lions move it quickly.

29'

Penalty Lions

No advantage, so Nahamba goes to the corner.

28'

Lions ball

Tshituka carries well, but Darge and Miller are there to meet him.

Advantage to the Lions though, as the ref calls offside against Glasgow on the 22.

27'

Lions lineout

Great work from Dobie – Quan Horn spots the gap and goes on the outside, but Caven and McKay cover well and Dobie is able to clear off the turnover.

26'

Lions ball

Almost again!

McDowall again bursts through two tackles, but his offload to Caven isn’t quite accurate enough.

26'

Glasgow lineout

Carbon copy of the last restart, as Lombard once again finds touch, this time on halfway.

24'

Try Lions

The Lions have a second try in three minutes, and it again comes from turnover ball.

A pass goes to ground in midfield, Frencke Horn picks up and sets off in search of the line – the number eight has enough pace to make it all the way, Lombard converting for a 14-7 lead.

24'

Glasgow ball

Powerful work from McDowall as he gets rid of two tacklers, with Caven trying a more subtle approach

23'

Glasgow lineout

Lombard clears from the restart, giving Glasgow a lineout on the Lions 10m line.

21'

Try Lions

Out of nothing, the home side strike back.

Van der Merwe makes the half break, and he gets the ball away to Sonele Nahamba on his shoulder.

The scrum-half has enough pace to race over from 35m, and Lombard converts to level the scores.

21'

Turnover

Johnny Matthews rips it away and Caven flings it to Johnson who clears long.

20'

Lions lineout

Vailanu carries brilliantly off the base, before McDowall booms the kick to touch on his own 10m line.

19'

Scrum Glasgow

Excellent lineout defence from the Warriors, as Lewis Bean demolishes the maul and wins the turnover for his side.

18'

Penalty Lions

The Lions will have another opportunity, though, as Darge is penalised for coming in at the side.

This time the hosts go to the corner.

17'

Penalty Lions

Gianni Lombard has a go at the posts from halfway, but he pushes it wide and it remains 7-0 to Glasgow.

16'

Penalty Lions

The Lions clear and Forbes is chopped by van der Merwe on halfway.

He doesn’t release before getting up again and the Lions have another penalty.

15'

Penalty Lions

That is an outstanding bit of play from Jaco Kriel.

Cole Forbes is almost over, but the Lions flanker gets over the ball to win a crucial turnover and the Lions have a penalty.

14'

Glasgow ball

Clever from McBeth as he feeds Vailanu, and Glasgow close!

13'

Glasgow ball

Great work down the blindside as McDowall charges through a gap, and the Lions are penalised for not rolling away.

Jordan will go for touch once more, finding it 15m from the Lions line.

11'

Scrum Glasgow

It was, and then a knock-on occurred.

Lions back in possession under pressure, as Darge looks to hold up his man.

Successfully done by the flanker, and Glasgow have the scrum on their own 10m line.

10'

Lions ball

Good exit from Dobie, and the Lions have possession on halfway.

Is that a turnover though?

Conversion successful

Solid start from the tee for Jordan, as he adds the extras from out wide.

TRY GLASGOW

How about that for a debut!

Brilliant line from Johnson as he slices through the defensive line off the lineout, and Caven is there to take the pass and touch down for a try on debut!

Penalty Glasgow

First blood to the Warriors at the scrum!

Nathan McBeth wins a penalty from referee Adam Jones, and Jordan will find touch on the Lions 22.

Lions ball

A first spell of ball in hand for the hosts, as Horn and Edwill van der Merwe combine.

Loose ball then forces Gianni Lombard to kick, and Caven knocks on as he tries to gather.

Scrum to the home side, 35m from the Glasgow line.

Scrum Lions

Almost!

Lovely play from the Warriors off the set-piece, as Stafford McDowall stabs a grubber in behind for Eli Caven to chase.

The ball just doesn’t sit up for the winger though, and there’s a knock-on.

Lions scrum 15m from their own line.

Glasgow ball

First carry for Rory Darge, but a loose ball forces Sam Johnson to scurry back.

Dobie kicks long, with Quan Horn returning.

Glasgow lineout on the Lions 10m line.

Glasgow ball

An early lineout in Lions territory for Glasgow, as Scott Cummings rises highest.

Jamie Dobie then gets it away and Josh McKay does well to hang on.

Kick-off

Tom Jordan gets us underway in Johannesburg!

14:11

🗣️ "Again, it's about us and trying to play the best brand we can"@GlasgowWarriors head coach Franco Smith in conversation before things get underway ⚔️#LIOvGLA pic.twitter.com/zfNAYwlI79

— Watch Rangers v Celtic live on Viaplay 🏆 (@ViaplaySportsUK) February 25, 2023

14:05

Team News

Glasgow Warriors centre Sam Johnson will make his 100th appearance for the club this afternoon, the Scotland international having become a fixture for club and country since his debut back in 2015.

Eli Caven makes his professional debut on the wing, whilst Allan Dell could likewise make his first appearance in Glasgow colours if called upon off the bench.

Stafford McDowall once again captains the squad in a starting XV that also sees Rory Darge return from a long-term ankle injury and Ally Miller make his first appearance of the season.

💯 Sam's century
👀 Rory's return
🆕 Debuts for Eli and Allan

ICYMI | Our team to take on the Emirates Lions has been named 👉 https://t.co/doOjZSQy2c #WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ pic.twitter.com/yZuCkQbqS3

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) February 24, 2023

14:03

Team News

With just 15 minutes to go until kick-off, let’s run you through today’s teams.

The Emirates Lions name a team containing club top try-scorer Francke Horn at number eight, Emanuel Tshituka joining him in a dynamic back row.

Marius Louw captains the team from centre, with Rabz Maxwane providing a dangerous presence on the wing.

Our Emirates Lions team to take the field against @GlasgowWarriors at The Park this Saturday. #LionsPride🦁@Vodacom | #URC | #UnitedWeRise pic.twitter.com/HDtyCYCpdk

— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) February 24, 2023

13:51

Previous Encounters

This is Glasgow’s first visit to Johannesburg since the Lions were added to the BKT URC, but the two sides have met once before in their respective professional histories.

Jamie Bhatti’s try made the difference at Scotstoun on a wet and windy afternoon back in October 2021, as the Warriors ground out a 13-9 win over their South African counterparts.

13:42

Tuned into the latest episode of The Squadcast yet? 👀

Jack Mann joins Craig and Murphy this week – make sure to subscribe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode! https://t.co/hsdheaCLjX

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) February 25, 2023

13:38

State of play

Today’s match marks Glasgow’s game in hand over most of their fellow BKT URC playoff chasers, with this fixture postponed from round six due to an outbreak of illness within Glasgow ranks following their visit to Durban in round five.

Victory over Ulster last weekend, however, saw the Warriors climb into the top four of the competition, as Franco Smith’s men continue their pursuit of a home knockout tie in the URC.

13:30

Your Warriors are in the building 👊#WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ pic.twitter.com/wIlrkOkx9y

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) February 25, 2023

13:25

Deja vu

Four months on from the original date of the fixture, Glasgow Warriors finally get their chance to take on the Emirates Lions in their own backyard.

With one of the most historic venues in world rugby acting as the stage, the cast of Warriors set to take to the field in Johannesburg have one goal in mind – extending the club’s unbeaten run, and continuing their pursuit of a home knockout tie in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

Kick-off is at 2.15pm…

80:00 Second Half End