Glasgow suffer home defeat by powerful Bulls

Rugby World Cup

Glasgow Warriors (7) 19

Dobie and Steyn are the Tries. Horne 2 McDowell Cons

Bulls (9) 26

Bulls exacted a measure of revenge for last season’s defeat in the Rugby World Cup final with victory over Glasgow, denting Warriors’ hopes of a top-two finish in the process.

Warriors are already tied for first place in the quarter-finals and are aiming for a place in the final four.

After defeating the reigning champions at Scotstoun, that outcome now seems unlikely.

The visitors had a slim half-time lead thanks to three Johan Goosen penalties, and Jamie Dobie scored a try for the hosts in response.

After the break, Johann Grobbelaar and David Kriel scored for Bulls, but Kyle Steyn and Stafford McDowall each scored in the final seconds to make sure Glasgow can hold onto that crucial second spot.

Warriors started off slow and set up the Bulls’ offense, but Jan-Hendrik Wessels’ outstanding defending held him back. McDowall sent Sebastian Cancelliere charging for the line, but he was denied by an outstanding piece of defending.

The South African side were defending against Glasgow’s attacks with monstrous physicality in the first points of the match when Goosen kicked the visitors in front.

The Bulls increased their lead when Wilco Louw was sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Patrick Schickerling, but Goosen did so with a monster penalty from just inside his own half.

With a man advantage, Warriors finally started putting some damage on the wall of blue jerseys by making some big catches, particularly Alex Samuel, who did some damage.

When McDowall slung out a stunning long pass to Dobie just in time for Kyle Rowe, who was injured, to go over and score, the home side finally put a chink in the Bulls’ armor.

Glasgow needed it, but another long-range penalty from Goosen gave them a two-point lead at the break.

Grobbelaar sprinted over the line for Bulls’ opening try of the evening just before the halfway point. Glasgow was in a big hole after Goosen, who had been playing the game all night, added the extras and knocked over another penalty to make it 19-7.

When Tom Jordan didn’t manage to get a kick over the top from Sebastian de Klerk, the winger stepped in and collected the loose ball before crashing off for Kriel to score. Finished the game.

Warriors had been trying to find space all night, but suddenly there was a lot. A losing bonus-point, and possibly even a draw, was on the cards when McDowall crossed in what appeared to be a consolation try for Steyn.

The Bulls won the match, and their performance was rewarded by a botched restart reception.

With home games against Cardiff and Dragons in the pipeline, Jake White’s men are now on the verge of placing second, while Glasgow will take on Benetton in Italy and Leinster in Dublin.

Matthews, Bhatti, Talakai, Cummings, Ferrie, Vailanu, Dobie, and Hastings are the replacements.

Bulls: Williams, Moodie, Kriel, Vorster, De Klerk, Goosen, Papier, Wessels, Grobbelaar, Louw, Wiese, Van Heerden, Kirsten, Nortje, Van Staden, and others.