Gritty Glasgow dig deep to down Bulls in URC

Rugby World Cup

Glasgow Warriors (7) 21

Hastings 2 attempts: Tuipulotu, McBeth, penalty Cons:

Bulls (5) 12

Glasgow Warriors moved top of the Rugby World Cup table before the rest of the weekend fixtures with a gritty victory over Bulls at Scotstoun.

In the opening period, the pace slowed for the home side’s two points lead at the break, but the home side came out on top with two tries.

The South African side looked set to suffer a rare home defeat against the Warriors when Willie le Roux scored the opener early in the second half.

Warriors quickly emerged from the blocks. The Glasgow train advanced with powerful bursts from Scott Cummings and Max Williamson, and Adam Hastings made room for Tuipulotu for the opening score.

The Bulls’ response was impressive and immediate. On the halfway point, Sebastian de Klerk carved through Jacobs’ home defense to force a run-in after collecting a loose ball.

With only some sloppy handling and fierce defense, the game was wide open, and neither side could score more points.

When Hastings’ pass was intercepted and the Bulls broke downfield, that changed. Le Roux was able to glide in unaffected under the posts while the Warriors’ defense was at sea, giving the South African side the lead.

When substitute Kurt-Lee Arendse launched a massive counter-attack to score, the visitors appeared to have made a decisive turn, but the television match official discovered a knock-on in the build-up and the try was forwarded.

When Glasgow sent a rolling line-out maul hurtling towards the Bulls line, it appeared to be giving Glasgow the spark they needed, and the penalty try was awarded to put Warriors back in front 14-12.

With a nine-point advantage, Glasgow had a little breathing room after the substitution had spent earlier ten minutes in the sin bin.

Seb Stephen, Nathan McBeth, Sam Talakai, Alex Samuel, Alex Craig, Euan Ferrie, Ben Afshar, and Dan Lancaster are the replacements.

Bulls: Embrose Papier, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Mornay Smith, Cobus Wiese, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee, Reinhardt Ludwig, Jeandre Rudolph, Willie le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs, Keagan Johannes, Embrose Papier, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grob

Juann Else, Etienne Janneke, Francois Klopper, JJ Theron, Nama Xaba, Paul de Wet, Stedman Gans, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and others.