Glasgow Warriors 33-3 Zebre Parma

Glasgow Warriors ran in five tries to secure a third successive bonus-point victory in the BKT United Rugby Championship this evening, holding out Zebre Parma for good measure to earn a 33-3 win in front of the Warrior Nation.

A brace from Huw Jones in a Player of the Match-winning performance grabbed the headlines, with Johnny Matthews, Jamie Dobie and Grant Stewart also dotting down to get their names on the scoresheet.

With the pre-match showers having abated ahead of kick-off, the opening exchanges were evenly-matched, with both sides looking for the early breakthrough. It was Glasgow who were first to strike, and in familiar fashion; sustained pressure in the Zebre 22 eventually saw Adam Hastings direct his side to the corner, and from there Matthews was in control. Over went the hooker from the maul, Hastings converting for a 7-0 lead after 15 minutes.

Just two minutes later, the Warrior Nation were celebrating once more. Superb interplay between Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall and George Horne saw the home side surge into Zebre territory, with Kyle Rowe brought down within two metres of the line. Franco Smith’s men remained calm, however, and two phases later slick handling from Hastings and McDowall sent Dobie over in the corner. From the touchline, Hastings’s kick was pinpoint, and Glasgow had a 14-0 advantage.

Giacomo da Re would get Zebre Parma on the board with a penalty on 27 minutes – just beating the shot clock after the ball fell off the tee – as the visitors continued to compete across the field, only for Glasgow to respond with their third score of the night just four minutes later. Once more the score would come from consistent pressure, strong carrying from Jack Dempsey and Zander Fagerson taking the Warriors within range, before Jones’s clever line and good strength saw the centre reach out and touch down. Hastings would make it three from three from the tee, and the home side led 21-3 with seven minutes left in the half.

It was a margin that would last until the half-time whistle, the Warriors unable to register the attacking bonus-point before the interval despite showing plenty of enterprise with ball in hand. The extra point would come the way of the Warriors 11 minutes into the second stanza though, as the Zebre defence was stretched to breaking point. McDowall’s initial carry off a lineout saw the centre take three defenders with him, before Scott Cummings timed his pass to perfection to put Jones through the gap and under the posts. Hastings remained flawless from the tee as he added the extras, extending the lead to 28-3 with 52 minutes on the clock.

Glasgow were motoring now, urged on by the Scotstoun faithful at every opportunity. Only the bounce of the ball would deny Horne a spectacular long-range solo effort, but the fifth try was not to be long in arriving. A high tackle on Dobie saw Hastings direct play to the corner, the maul once again proving to be the unstoppable weapon. Stewart – on for Matthews – was the man to find his way over the whitewash for his first try since returning to the club, Hastings wayward for the first time to leave the score at 33-3 to the men in black on the hour mark.

Almost immediately, the Warriors thought they were in again. Turnover ball on his own 22 was gratefully scooped up by Jones, the centre drawing the full-back and freeing Rory Darge on his shoulder. The openside probably had the pace to finish himself, but made sure of the score by handing the ball off to Horne on his trademark support line, the scrum-half darting over under the posts. The conversion was applied by Hastings, only for the officials to – belatedly – disallow the score for a knock-on in the build-up, much to the chagrin of the Warrior Nation.

Determined not to leave Scotstoun empty-handed, the visitors proceeded to throw everything at the Glasgow defensive line as the match entered its final quarter. Yet time and again the Warriors held firm, McDowall and Dempsey each coming up with turnovers at the crucial moment to deny the Italian outfit.

Even with the clock ticking down and victory secured, the Warriors still refused to give an inch. Rowe’s dogged chase of Jacopo Trulla denied the Zebre winger a try with less than a minute remaining, epitomising the determination of Smith’s men to defend their home.

The final whistle sounded soon after to bring down the curtain on a 26^th consecutive regular-season win at Scotstoun, and one that moves the Warriors to the top of the standings for 24 hours at least – sights now turn to a return to South Africa, as the double-header in the Rainbow Nation awaits.