Glasgow hold off Munster to stay top of URC

United Rugby Championship

Glasgow Warriors 31 (28)

Tries: Smith, Lancaster, Oguntibeju, McKay Cons: Lancaster 4 Pens: Lancaster

Munster 22 (5)

Glasgow Warriors maintained their spot at the top of the United Rugby Championship table with a bonus-point victory over Munster at Scotstoun.

Ollie Smith, Dan Lancaster, Jare Oguntibeju and Josh McKay scored tries to establish a commanding 28-5 half-time lead, with Ethan Coughlan responding for the visitors.

A wonder try from Dan Kelly gave Munster hope and further scores from Brian Gleeson and Diarmuid Kilgallen brought the visitors back within six points.

Lancaster knocked over a late penalty to halt the Munster fightback and ensure Glasgow made it nine straight wins in all competitions.

Munster had started on the front foot, banging on the Glasgow line but the home side struck with their first attack.

A sweeping move from deep set Smith free and while he appeared destined to be bundled into touch by two red jerseys, he somehow grounded the ball with an extraordinary finish before being forced out of play.

Fly-half Lancaster banged over a cracking touchline conversion in windy conditions, and less than a minute later he was converting his own try in front of the posts after intercepting a pass from opposite number Tony Butler.

Munster struck back in similar fashion, Coughlan reading Stafford McDowall’s wide pass to collect and score.

The frenetic pace slowed somewhat but with a strong wind at their backs, Warriors wanted to add to their lead before the break.

They hammered at the Munster line and eventually Oguntibeju was able to dive through a ruck to touch down.

Munster wing Thaakir Abrahams was sent to the bin for a cynical knock-on to halt a Glasgow attack.

The home side made their numerical advantage count – McKay gliding through a gaping hole to go over for the bonus-point try.

Angus Fraser and Seb Stephen both crossed for Glasgow, but both were denied after TMO interventions – Fraser adjudged to have been held up, and Stephen’s stunning solo effort ruled out for an earlier knock-on by Ben Afshar.

Kelly conjured a stunner of his own and this one did count. The Munster centre broke through off a first-phase scrum move from inside his own half and showed terrific pace to burn the cover defence on the outside to score.

For the first time in the contest, Warriors were wobbling and when they messed up a lineout near their own 22, Gleeson reacted first to gather and race away to score.

The pendulum had swung towards the Irish side and when Kilgallen crossed for their fourth try, it was a six-point game.

Glasgow Warriors: McKay; Rowe, McDowall (c), Yule, Smith; Lancaster, Afshar; Bhatti, Stephen, Walker, Craig, Oguntibeju, Ferrie, Fraser, Miller.

Replacements: Stewart, McBeth, Talakai, Cockburn, Vailanu, Duncan, Oliver, Urwin.

Munster Rugby: Haley; Abrahams, Daly, Kelly, Kilgallen; Butler, Coughlan; Wycherley, Barron (C), Jager, O’Connell, Wycherley, Edogbo, Quinn, Gleeson.