Glasgow 35
Connacht 24
SELECTION was a difficult balancing act for Gregor Townsend on Saturday, and for a time the outcome was on a knife-edge. In the end, though, the desired result was achieved on all fronts: a five-point win that keeps Glasgow’s PRO12 play-off hopes alive; a run out for some of the squad’s Scotland regulars; and a rest for others as the Warriors look ahead to this weekend’s Champions Cup quarter-final against Saracens.
The performance against Connacht had its flaws, and the game produced new difficulties for the head coach to contend with this week: Tim Swinson will miss out on Sunday unless an appeal against his red card is successful, while Gordon Reid must go through a head-injury assessment protocol before being cleared to play. On the whole, however, it was a satisfying match which highlighted several important qualities that Glasgow will need when they visit the European champions.
Patience was one virtue. They began slowly, and were under heavy pressure for most of the first half, but got there in the end.
Adaptability was another. Having been a distinct second best at the breakdown in the opening 40 minutes, they competed for possession far more effectively after the break thanks to a change of approach.
And fitness was a third. Although down to 14 men late in the game, they had the stamina to finish strongly, grabbing the fourth try just minutes from the end through the oldest man in the team, winger Sean Lamont.
These qualities will be needed in abundance against Saracens, and the first-half defects will have to be eliminated too. But after a couple of months in which he has been denied much of his first-choice team, Townsend was relatively pleased with a display which had seen Finn Russell, Stuart Hogg and Ali Price make an immediate return to club action following their Six Nations duties.
“There were a lot of positives against Connacht, but also areas where we have to get better,” the head coach said. “Just to have Finn and Hoggy and other guys playing again is a really good mechanism for us to give feedback on the things we have to work on, so the calls become second nature again. Another week of preparation will help us a lot.
“They all wanted to play,” he continued, referring to the other members of his squad who had been rested. “Some of the decisions were for their good, especially guys carrying knocks, like Ryan Wilson and Jonny [Gray]. Tommy [Seymour] was supposed to play, but he got a back spasm during the week. Zander [Fagerson] has been carrying a knock, so he wasn’t considered.
“We had to make sure we managed our game time. There are a lot of positives in getting your team out and playing together. There are risks of injuries - but you can get injured in training.
“We want to keep our players as ready as possible for next week, but sometimes the best way is to play 60-80 minutes. For others it’s about getting a good weekend of recovery and be ready to go next week.”
The Warriors did not look wholly ready to go from kick-off on Saturday, and were fortunate to go in at half-time just 13-15 down. In search of a bonus point to boost their chances of getting into the top four, they had only scored one try by that point, though hooker Corey Flynn, while the ever-dangerous Nii Adeolokun and captain John Muldoon had touched down for Connacht.
But the visitors were not as ruthless as they can be in attack, and the Warriors defence tightened up the longer the game went on. Adeolokun came closest to claiming a third try for them in the second half, only to put a foot in touch just before touching down, but by that point scores from Russell and Price had put Glasgow back on top.
Curiously, the Warriors’ worst spell in that second half came when they were a man up after Jack Carty had been yellow-carded, while their most impressive play was delivered after they were reduced to 14 men. Swinson saw red after swinging an arm towards Connacht substitute Dave Heffernan, who was already going down after being tackled. The referee saw it as a punch on the player, Townsend suggested it had been an attempt to dislodge the ball, and a hearing will take place to decide whether the lock should be cleared to face Saracens or be given a suspension.
Glasgow’s lead was cut by the penalty that resulted from Swinson’s offence, but Horne soon responded with three points, and Lamont then ensured a morale-boosting result by bursting through a tiring defence to grab that vital fourth try.
Scorers: Glasgow: Tries: Flynn, Russell, Price, Lamont. Cons: Russell 3. Pens: Russell 2, P Horne.
Connacht: Tries: Adeolokun, Muldoon. Con: Ronaldson. Pens: Ronaldson 3, Cooney.
Referee: I Davies (Wales). Attendance: 7251.
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