Glasgow Warriors produced an outstanding first-half display as they ran out 38-26 winners against Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday.
Franco Smith’s men were simply sublime in the opening 40 minutes, going 28-0 ahead through Fraser Brown, Stafford McDowall, Domingo Miotti and Cole Forbes tries.
Miotti then added a drop-goal at the start of the second period to make it a 31-point buffer before the Irish province hit back.
Gavin Coombes and Craig Casey both touched down to give Munster hope, only for Sione Vailanu to immediately extinguish their chances of a comeback.
Graham Rowntree’s side continued to battle, however, and were rewarded with a try bonus-point as Josh Wycherley and Calvin Nash crossed the whitewash, but Glasgow deservedly came away with the victory.
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It was fifth hosting fourth in Limerick, Glasgow building some solid early foundations through their strong set-piece and clever kicking game.
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Hooker Brown, one of nine returning Scotland internationals, was driven over from a fifth-minute lineout, with Miotti converting. Munster number eight Coombes was held up just minutes later.
Glasgow doubled their lead to 14-0 in the 24th minute, centre McDowall using Brown’s reverse pass to race through and score despite Joey Carbery and Nash’s attempts to hold him up.
Miotti then found a gap between Paddy Patterson and Diarmuid Barron to make it 21-0. A costly knock-on prevented Munster from opening their account.
Indeed, Smith’s men bounced into the second half on the back of Forbes’ brilliant bonus-point score. Influential Argentinian Miotti extended their lead with his 44th-minute drop goal.
Belatedly awaking from their slumber, a purposeful 52nd-minute Munster maul resulted in Coombes wrestling his way over.
Carbery converted and also added the extras to Casey’s follow-up effort, the scrum-half darting over from a ruck.
Nonetheless, when Glasgow got back into scoring range, Jamie Dobie fought for every inch in a carry before number eight Vailanu powered over for Miotti to convert.
Prop Wycherley replied in the 70th minute after Coombes was stopped short. A long pass from Casey released Nash for the right corner, but it was too little, too late from Munster.
Free flowing rugby at it's best from @GlasgowWarriors 👏 #BKTURC #URC | #MUNvGLA pic.twitter.com/IHCTgbAM4c
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) March 25, 2023
Some rare Welsh cheer as Scarlets shock Sharks
Sam Costelow kicked 22 points as Scarlets kept alive their hopes of winning the Welsh Shield with an impressive 32-20 win over full-strength Sharks in the United Rugby Championship.
The four points secured just keeps Scarlets in the hunt but they will have to rely on other results going in their favour if they are to secure a Champions Cup spot for next season.
Costelow succeeded with all eight attempts at goal as he landed six penalties and the conversions to a brace of tries from Steff Evans.
Siya Kolisi and Bongi Mbonambi scored tries for Sharks with Curwin Bosch adding two conversions and two penalties.
Scarlets began with some blistering rugby. First Evans and Gareth Davies interpassed brilliantly in a 75-metre move, which was snuffed out just short of the line, before another breathtaking passage ended with Evans scoring for the home side to take the lead after eight minutes.
However, the hosts then suffered a blow when flanker Dan Davis hobbled off but they overcame this setback to extend their lead with two penalties from Costelow in quick succession.
Sharks had not had a sniff in the opening quarter but they steadied the ship and reduced the arrears when their captain Kolisi forced his way over from close range to find themselves only 13-7 adrift at the interval.
Three minutes after the restart, Bosch kicked a penalty but against the run of play Scarlets scored a second try.
A speculative cross-field kick from Costelow bounced unfavourably for two covering Sharks and Evans was on hand to boot the ball forward before collecting it to score.
Costelow converted and kicked two penalties and Scarlets had a 16-point lead with 25 minutes remaining.
Sharks needed a quick response and they got one when first Mbonambi finished off a move from a lineout before Bosch fired over a penalty from the halfway line but two further penalties from Costelow gave Scarlets a notable scalp.
Tom Stewart hat-trick inspires Ulster win
A hat-trick of tries from hooker Tom Stewart helped Ulster defeat the Bulls 32-23 and make it three United Rugby Championship wins in a row.
The Irish province fought back from 20-12 down to secure their latest victory and continue to pressurise second-placed Stormers ahead of the play-offs.
Ulster winger Robert Baloucoune also crossed for a score as the Ravenhill team claimed another bonus-point win, with Nathan Doak kicking three conversions and a penalty and John Cooney slotting a solitary penalty.
Baloucoune scored two minutes into his comeback from injury after Ulster threw the ball out to his wing. Doak missed the difficult conversion.
Six minutes later Chris Smith was wide with a penalty after Doak had been bottled up at a breakdown, but the Bulls’ fly-half made no mistake six minutes later from the tee.
With 18 minutes on the clock a kick through from Ulster was picked up by Kurt-Lee Arendse who combined with Canan Moodie, the winger picking up his own chip and sending Arendse away to score. Smith converted to put the Bulls 10-5 ahead.
Ulster responded in the 25th minute. Stewart drove through off a maul for the hosts’ second try and Doak’s touchline conversion put them back in the lead.
Hat-trick try for Tom Stewart 🔥@UlsterRugby use brute force to take the lead #ULSvBUL | @Vodacom #URC | #UnitedWeRise pic.twitter.com/hVEsRDUUmK
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) March 25, 2023
But seven minutes later Zak Burger scored a try following a surging Bulls attack which Smith converted to put the South Africans 17-12 and on the stroke of half-time Smith kicked his second penalty to extend the lead further.
From the restart, Ulster were on the front-foot. Elrigh Louw was yellow carded for the visitors and then Ulster drove Stewart over for his second try, with Doak’s conversion cutting the lead to one point.
The Irish province then took the lead after 54 minutes when Stewart wriggled through from close range for his third of the evening which Doak converted as Ulster took a 26-20 lead.
Smith’s third penalty in the 62nd minute cut Ulster’s lead to three points but Doak’s 71st-minute penalty made it 29-23 to the home team.
The Bulls then had what appeared to be a vital penalty reversed after Billy Burns was clattered in the back by replacement Bismarck du Plessis and shortly afterwards sub Cooney kicked a last-minute penalty to round off victory.