Glasgow 31 - 3 Cardiff: Blues down in the dumps

The Warriors sit second equal with Munster this morning, and while the Ospreys could leapfrog them today by beating Treviso, leaders Leinster or Munster will drop points at they clash in Limerick.

Edinburgh also did Al Kellock’s men a favour last night by pushing Scarlets backwards in the race and Glasgow next head to Munster, after next weekend’s league break for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

But Glasgow earned every bit of their upwards move last night with a committed all-round team performance, the desire typified brilliantly at the death by Chris Cusiter, who was forced to slot into the back row after injuries to Ryan Wilson and John Barclay, was then injured himself and still managed to play a crucial role in the vital fourth try.

Departing head coach Sean Lineen, again welcomed by a standing ovation from fans before the game, admitted: “That was right up there with any performance I’ve seen from this team and I’m delighted for them.

“Gary Mercer [defence coach] gave an emotional speech to them before the game because this is his last season as well, and they played for him tonight.

“To keep a Cardiff team with that quality from scoring a single try was phenomenal. I’d hate to guess at how many tackles Chris Fusaro and Rob Harley made and that epitomised what we are all about at the Warriors.

“But we have to keep winning. We are up against some quality sides, but we are a quality side too and we’ll be prepared for Munster. We’ve won there before and had great games with them. There are all sorts of permutations with five or six teams still in it, but we just have to keep winning and we’ll be there.

“Every single player and member of staff is working towards those play-offs, and the support we are all getting is fantastic.”

Cardiff lost their inspirational All Black Xavier Rush before kick-off, the skipper staying in Wales after his wife gave birth in the morning, while Colin Shaw was called up for Tommy Seymour on the Glasgow left wing after Seymour succumbed to a hamstring injury.

The game did not start brilliantly for the hosts as Duncan Weir put the kick-off straight out and Graeme Morrison was forced off the field with a knee injury after just three minutes.

He was replaced by Petrer Murchie, who went to full-back, Stuart Hogg shifting to outside centre and Alex Dunbar to inside.

Dunbar was quickly into his new role, battering through defenders, and with Glasgow’s on-form openside Chris Fusaro quickly into his stride, Cardiff fly-half Ceri Sweeney had nowhere to turn. With Ryan Grant and Mike Cusack again the pillars of a hugely dominant Warriors scrum, No8 Ryan Wilson in great combative form – for which he was subject to heavy treatment from Blues forwards throughout – and Dunbar opening up an impressive Cardiff back line the Warriors seized the initiative.

Shaw squandered a chance with the line beckoning, but Wilson made sure of the points when he ploughed over under the crossbar after Warriors’ pressure had forced a turnover from the lineout, for his first try for the club.

Cardiff came to play, but Glasgow wouldn’t let them and though they enjoyed more time on the ball they could find no way through the Warriors’ defence, even Leigh Halfpenny striking a penalty wide.

Weir missed a penalty and was wide with a drop-goal, but still put the hosts 10-0 up at half-time.

With Ulster having already collected three tries in their first half against Aironi, winning this game was only the first target for Glasgow; turning their dominance into a four-try win was the second.

The dominance was regained swiftly, with Dunbar – earning ‘Man of the Match’ and underlining why he will shortly be announced as Glasgow’s latest re-signing – Cusack and Harley spearheading a concerted spell of pressure and great teamwork resulted in Wilson diving over for a second try just four minutes in.

Halfpenny finally put Cardiff on the score-board, punishing Glasgow’s sluggishness at a scrum, but then Lineen released Moray Low, Richie Gray and Pat MacArthur into the game, and all had the desired impact.

Weir missed a penalty but with Ulster big winners over Aironi tries were now needed. Wilson was stretchered off with a knee injury – he was back out to applaud the fans at the finish – but that only sprung John Barclay from the bench, along with Jon Welsh, clearly with the hope that they could inspire Glasgow to match Wilson’s two-try feat in the final quarter.

They took the first step with Fusaro finishing off a fine break by Dunbar – his pace and angle of run again bursting Cardiff’s defence – in the 64th minute, and then lost Barclay, like Wilson on a stretcher, after he suffered a head knock. With only Henry Pyrgos left on the bench, the scrum-half came on with eight minutes to go and Cusiter went into the back row, which only heightened the excitement levels around Firhill.

The Scotland scrum-half then suffered a leg injury reaching for the ball in frantic defence, and seemed unable to walk, but when Dunbar made another powerful break with two minutes remaining Cusiter was on hand to take his pass inside, and took off over 20 metres before superbly feeding Shaw, who sped the last 20 metres and round behind the posts to score, and send the Warriors supporters wild.

A good finish to a great performance. Three games to go: Munster away, Treviso away and then Connacht at home. Game on.

Scorers: Glasgow: Tries – Wilson 2, Fusaro, Shaw; Pens – Weir; Cons – Weir 2, Jackson 2. Cardiff: Pens – Halfpenny.

Glasgow: S Hogg; F Aramburu, A Dunbar, G Morrison, C Shaw; D Weir, C Cusiter; R Grant, D Hall, M Cusack, T Ryder, A Kellock (capt), R Harley, C Fusaro, R Wilson. Subs: P Murchie for Morrison 4mins, P MacArthur for Hall, M Low for Cusack, R Gray for Ryder, all 50mins, R Jackson for Weir 56, J Welsh for Grant, J Barclay for Wilson, both 58, H Pyrgos for Barclay 72.

Cardiff: L Halfpenny; A Cuthbert, C Laulala, J Roberts, T James; C Sweeney, L Williams; J Yapp, R Tyrrell, S Andrews, B Davies, J Down, C Macauley, J Navidi, M Moitika. Subs: D Hewitt for Roberts 52mins, M Breeze for Tyrrell, R Rees for Williams, both 59, N Trevett for Yapp 68, G Henson for Cuthbert 65.