Eight-try Glasgow Warriors survive third-quarter scare to chalk up first away win of season

The visitors looked home and hosed at half-time when they led 33-12 thanks to five tries in the opening 40 minutes. But Cardiff came flying out after the break and reduced the lead to just four points as the game entered its final quarter. Glasgow stood up when it mattered and wrested back control to eventually win 52-36.

There were some brilliant tries and yet another outstanding performance from Sione Tuipulotu who was captaining the Warriors in the absence of the injured Kyle Steyn. The centre was like a skilful wrecking ball and you have to hope Andy Farrell was taking note.

Tuipulotu got one of Glasgow’s eight tries and there was also one for his centre partner Huw Jones. Tom Jordan - another standout performer - and Kyle Rowe got two each, and Jamie Dobie and Matt Fagerson also weighed in.

Cardiff made a real game of it and Tuipulotu admitted he was dreading the wrath of his coaches.

“I’ve got mixed feelings, to be honest,” he said. “I’m kind of fearful to go back into the changing room to face the coaches! I didn’t think we played that well but credit to the boys who came on in the last 15 minutes like Duncan Weir and Patrick Schickerling because they really closed the game out for us when Cardiff were applying pressure.”

The match began at breakneck speed and Dobie was in the thick of the action early on, giving Glasgow the lead then being culpable as Cardiff got back on terms. The positives first, and no-one could have failed to have been impressed by the scrum-half’s pace and step inside as he ran in the game’s opening score after good mop-up work by Rowe.

Dobie was then caught as Cardiff fought back. He was in the act of kicking the ball clear on his own line when home flanker Dan Thomas shoved him with both hands and pounced on the loose ball to score.

It was end to end in the first quarter and Cardiff got their noses in front after 19 minutes. After a well worked scrum, the ball was fired out the line and Cam Winnett blasted through Josh McKay and Rowe for the try.

It was to be their last points of the half as Glasgow took control, scoring four further tries before the break. The first came from Rowe who showed a clean pair of heels to a couple of Cardiff defenders but it all started with a mighty carry from Tuipulotu.

The next was an absolute peach from Jordan who came flying out the line to intercept a Callum Sheedy pass before running in the score from deep in his own half.

Glasgow had the bonus point try in the bag after 35 minutes and it was a superb individual effort from Tuipulotu who burst through three tackles before crossing. Jones then got in on act, scoring after a good offload from Jordan who converted to make it 33-12 to the visitors at the break.

Cardiff rolled the dice at half-time, replacing their half-backs and their entire front row, and it gave them some early impetus. Camped on the Glasgow line, replacement prop Ed Byrne eventually squeezed his way over. Tinus de Beer, on for Sheedy, made it 33-19 with the conversion.

They got another one after 53 minutes and suddenly the Arms Park was rocking. It was Mackenzie Martin, another replacement, who scored but it all began with a mighty lineout drive. De Beer converted and Cardiff looked like they were in again a minute later only for Ellis Bevan to fumble. De Beer then stepped up to land a penalty, cutting the gap to a mere four points.

It was a really shaky third quarter for Glasgow but credit to Cardiff who were operating without a recognised hooker due to injuries to both Evan Lloyd and Liam Belcher. Alun Lawrence, their No 8, coped admirably with the lineout throwing.

Glasgow needed some stability and they got it from the reliable Matt Fagerson who pouched a lineout then squeezed over. Jordan’s conversion stretched the visitors’ lead to 40-29 but Cardiff came back again, Ben Donnell on the end of a lineout maul. De Beer’s conversion made it a four-point game going into the final 10 minutes but Glasgow stood up when it mattered with two late tries.

Jack Dempsey, in his first game of the season, burst through and Rowe showed good footballing skills to dribble in and get his second try which Duncan Weir converted. Jordan followed suit soon after a lovely break from Ben Afshar.

Scorers: Cardiff: Tries: D Thomas, Winnett, Byrne, Martin, Donnell. Cons: Sheedy, de Beer 3. Pen: de Beer

Glasgow Warriors: Tries: Dobie, Rowe 2, Jordan 2, Tuipulotu, H Jones, M Fagerson. Cons: Jordan 5, Weir.

Cardiff: C Winnett; M Grady, R Lee-Lo (G Hamer-Webb 31-40), B Thomas, H Millard; C Sheedy (T de Beer 40), A Davies (E Bevan 40); C Domachowski (E Byrne 40), L Belcher (E Lloyd 40-50; M Martin 52), K Assiratti (R Litterick 40), J McNally (R Thornton 65), T Williams, B Donnell, D Thomas, A Lawrence.

Glasgow Warriors: J McKay; K Rowe, H Jones, S Tuipulotu (D Weir 70), F Cordero (B Afshar 60); T Jordan, J Dobie; R Sutherland (J Bhatti 48), J Matthews (G Hiddleston 60), S Talakai (P Schickerling 48), A Samuel (R Gray 48), S Cummings (M Williamson 70), G Brown (E Ferrie 56), M Fagerson, J Dempsey.

Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARU).