Prolific Jonny Matthews lands first-half hat-trick as Glasgow Warriors trounce Zebre to enhance top-four credentials

It was a case of job done for Glasgow Warriors as they powered their way past Zebre to move above Ulster and into third place in the United Rugby Championship with only three games to go in the regular season.

Glasgow Warriors' Johnny Matthews scores his third try during the 50-8 win over Zebre.

A first-half hat-trick from Johnny Matthews set them on their way and they eventually won 50-8, with the other tries coming from JP du Preez, Stafford McDowall, Josh McKay, Thomas Gordon and Fraser Brown. The bonus point is likely to come in handy as the Warriors seek a top-four finish and a home tie in the URC play-offs.

It was scrappy at times, and Glasgow fell behind early on, but they used their lineout maul to good effect to take control of the game, with all three Matthews tries plundered in this fashion. Rory Darge, in his first Scotstoun appearance since suffering a serious ankle injury in September, played 67 minutes and looked sharp, as did Scott Cummings, starting off in the back row but finishing the game at lock as he continued his comeback from a long-standing foot issue. Food for thought for Gregor Townsend ahead of Scotland’s final two Six Nations games.

Zebre set off like a train, and were a try to the good inside two minutes. They carried the ball hard into Glasgow’s 22 before moving it right. Chris Cook took a quick tap penalty which caught the home side napping and the scrum-half plunged over. It was hardly the start expected of a side who have lost 14 out of 14 in the URC this season and Glasgow looked a little startled. Sam Johnson soon sparked them into life, spinning the ball wide to Ollie Smith. Play went back for an earlier infringement and Glasgow kicked to the corner, setting up the well practised lineout maul from which Matthews drew them level. Horne landed the conversion to nudge them 7-5 ahead.

Warriors' JP Du Preez scores a try during the bonus-point victory.

Zebre had run Edinburgh close at the DAM Health in January and looked determined to go one better. Jacopo Trulla, their winger, landed a penalty from just inside the Glasgow half to restore their lead at the mid point of the first half. But the Parma side suffered a setback shortly afterwards, losing Cook to a head injury after he went in high on Matthews. And things were to get worse for the visitors as Glasgow took control with two tries in three minutes. Matthews was at the heart of both, scoring from another lineout maul after du Preez had secured the long throw, and then reacting first to set up du Preez after Cumming had disrupted a Zebre lineout.

Matthews was Glasgow’s top try-scorer last season and the prolific hooker completed his hat-trick before half-time, benefitting once again from du Preez’s aerial dominance to notch his third lineout maul try. Horne converted to make it 24-8 at the turn and the scrum-half set up Glasgow’s fifth try early in the second half. Ratko Jelic, the Zebre replacement scrum-half, had his kick charged down by Cummings and Darge was first to react, offloading to Horne who popped the ball up for McDowall to score.

Things were starting to unravel for Zebre who saw their replacement hooker Marco Manfredi yellow-carded for killing the ball at the ruck. It meant running repairs in the front row and it was no surprise when Glasgow capitalised at the next scrum, spinning it wide for McKay to run in try No 6 which Horne converted. With the game won, Glasgow looked to their bench and Jamie Dobie, the replacement scrum-half, started the move which led to a try for fellow sub Gordon. No 8 Sione Vailanu had a big role to play as he ploughed down the middle before slipping it inside to Gordon. Fraser Brown, on for Matthews, burrowed over from close range for Glasgow’s eighth try, four of which came from the hookers. It’s Munster away next for the Warriors, which should be an altogether tougher test.

Scorers – Glasgow: Tries: Matthews 3, du Preez, McDowall, McKay, Gordon, Brown. Cons: Horne 4, Weir. Zebre: Try: Cook. Pen: Trulla.

Rory Darge played 67 minutes as he steps up his recovery from serious injury.

Yellow card: Marco Manfredi (Zebre 55min)

Glasgow: O Smith; J McKay (G Brown 78), S McDowall (c), S Johnson, C Forbes; T Jordan (D Weir 55), G Horne (J Dobie 67); A Dell (J Bhatti 49), J Matthews (F Brown 49), S Berghan (O Kebble 54), L Bean (T Gordon 54), JP du Preez, S Cummings, R Darge (A Samuel 67), S Vailanu.

Zebre: R Kriel; J Trulla, T Boni, E Lucchin (D Mazza 40), S Gesi; T Eden (G Prisciantelli 62), C Cook (R Jelic 26); P Buonfiglio (L Rizzoli 49), G Ribaldi (M Manfredi 49), M Nocera (I Neculai 47-63), L Krumov (J Uys 60), A Zambonin, L Andreani (G Licata 54), M Kvesic, D Ruggeri (G Ribaldi 56-63).

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU).