Glasgow Warriors 29-19 Racing 92

Glasgow Warriors booked their place in the last-16 of the Investec Champions Cup in style this evening, running in five tries to claim a 29-19 win over Racing 92 at a sold-out Scotstoun.

George Horne’s early score saw the scrum-half become the club’s all-time leading try-scorer in European competition, with Jamie Dobie, Sebastian Cancelliere, Sione Tuipulotu – in a Player of the Match-winning display – and Rory Darge also crossing the try-line.

With the pitch cleared of its covers and in perfect condition on a clear night in Glasgow’s west end, it took the Warriors all of three minutes to click into top gear. A thunderous charge from Sione Tuipulotu took play from 22 to 22 right from the start, before a scrum inside Racing territory gave Huw Jones and Josh McKay the platform to combine. The former’s inside pass to the supporting Horne was perfectly timed, sending the scrum-half over for his fourth European try of the campaign and one that – allied with the conversion – gave his side a 7-0 lead.

The temperatures were in no way hampering either side’s attacking intent, with Kyle Steyn twice breaking the line and Johnny Matthews stepping and sprinting clear from his own 22 before being hunted down by Henry Arundell. Meanwhile, Vinyaya Habosi’s chip and charge from deep in his own territory almost paid dividends, were it not for the alertness of McKay to the bouncing ball.

Habosi then turned try-saver with 16 minutes on the clock, chasing down Jamie Dobie – on to cover a head injury assessment for Horne – to tackle the scrum-half into touch inches from the whitewash. It was to be a temporary reprieve, though, with Dobie not to be denied 90 seconds later. Matt Fagerson’s break from halfway saw the flanker draw the full-back before putting Dobie away, Tom Jordan striking the upright with the conversion to leave the scoreline at 12-0.

Glasgow were motoring, and try number three arrived in free-flowing fashion on the 22 minute mark. Once again the set-piece would provide the platform, as swift hands from Jordan and Tuipulotu sent McKay racing into open prairie. Cancelliere’s pace did the rest, the Argentinian flyer hurtling over untouched. Jordan would once again strike the upright with the conversion attempt, but a 17-0 lead provided consolation to the Scotstoun faithful.

Knowing the next score was crucial to their hopes, Racing eventually found their way through a resolute Glasgow defence with six minutes left in the half. It was Habosi who would apply the finish, the Fijian emerging with the ball from a three-way contest to claim Antoine Gibert’s cross-kick to dive over for the score. Tristan Tedder converted from out wide, bringing the Parisians back within 10 points.

The final word of the opening stanza belonged to those in black, though, as the Warriors sealed the attacking bonus-point with the final play of the half. A lineout earned by a 50-22 from Dobie saw Rory Darge peel away, before finding Tuipulotu on a sublime angle to send the centre thundering through the gap and over the whitewash. Whilst the conversion was once again astray, the Warrior Nation rose to acclaim their side as they left the field with a 22-7 advantage.

Glasgow’s attacking ambition remained on full display at the outset of the second period, with Steyn and Jones just two of the Warriors to break the line within the opening 10 minutes of the half. Only some last-ditch defence from the visitors denied the home side a fifth score, but the Warrior Nation sensed that it was on its way.

It would arrive as the match approached the hour mark, as the forwards decided it was their turn to get in amongst the scoring. A maul from 15 metres out proved far too powerful for the Racing pack to stop, with Darge the man to eventually emerge with the ball in front of the East Stand. Jordan added the extras, and the Warriors led 29-7.

Darge then returned to his trademark habitat a couple of moments later to produce a superb turnover in the shadow of his own posts, the openside raising the roof of the West Stand as they urged on their team’s defensive stand.

Racing continued to press as the match entered the final 10 minutes, and were rewarded with their second try to raise a cheer from the travelling support. Sustained pressure in the Glasgow 22 eventually saw replacement prop Lee-Marvin Mazibuko driven over from close-range, Tedder converting to narrow the deficit once more.

Tedder himself would score Racing’s third try with two minutes remaining to give the Parisians hope of taking home a brace of bonus-points, only for one final defensive stand from the Warriors with the clock in the red to bring a close to proceedings. A place in the knockout stages secured – the focus now turns to next weekend’s trip to London, as a rematch with Harlequins awaits at the Twickenham Stoop.