'Determined' Glasgow Warriors survive brave Benetton performance to leave Italy with maximum points

Head coach Franco Smith was pleased with the determination his players showed in the second half where they took full advantage of a yellow card to level the scores before going on to secure the victory. The South African said: “We said in the changing room, the score is not going to matter today, it's about showing our determination and I thought we saw that.

“Compliments to Benetton, they can be really proud and they've had some heart breaking losses now. They're so close to getting it right, they fought really, really hard.

“If we didn’t stick to task the way we did we would have lost today. Matt Urwin and Jamie Ritchie who got his debut today both did well.”

A scrappy opening half hour was scoreless as neither team were able to find a rhythm with handling errors and penalties causing frustration for Glasgow. Benetton were then able to break the deadlock with a well worked try as Jacob Umanga’s intelligent delayed pass sent Federico Zanandrea through the gap who managed to evade the covering Kyle Rowe and cross in the corner.

The hosts turned the screw and a penalty under the posts put them into the break 10-0 up as Umaga knocked it over from close range. Glasgow tried to start the second half on the front foot but their first attempt at putting the ball through the hands of their backs saw Louis Lynagh intercept Urwin’s pass and charge in for his side’s second try just a minute after the break.

The moment that ended up defining the match came when Mattia Midena was sin binned for a no-arms tackle on Zander Fagerson. The visitors made the man advantage count first by going back to their ever dangerous maul which was forced over with Euan Ferrie the player at the tail to score.

The next try came through the backs which went through Urwin, Sione Tuipulotu and Stafford McDowall to get to Kyle Steyn out wide to finish in the corner. Warriors then brought the score level at 17-17 just before Midena’s yellow card expired as the ball again went wide to Steyn from kick off who charged from 22 to 22 with a marauding run and a few phases later Rory Darge was in for his third try in as many games.

A dubious scrum penalty which Nathan McBeth certainly didn’t agree with gave Umaga a chance to put the hosts back in front from five meters inside his own half and the Samoan fly-half slotted it cleanly between the sticks. Knock ons, line out steals and more added to Glasgow’s frustrations but the maul was reliable when the set piece did function and won them another penalty.

In true Warriors fashion they went for the corner rather than the posts and the win rather than the draw. Gregor Hiddleston threw it to Gregor Brown at the back and won another penalty and with the advantage they managed to get the score as the long limbs and power of Jare Oguntibeju were unstoppable from close range.

That secured the bonus point and the victory as Glasgow escaped the Stadio Monigo with maximum points.

Get our rugby newsletter by clicking here