Tempers flare in feisty Glasgow Warriors-Quins clash as Scotland star leaves with arm in sling

The second row forward lasted only nine minutes against Harlequins before leaving the pitch clutching his left arm and was later spotted in a sling. Given the news earlier in the day that Sione Tuipulotu was nursing an upper body injury, this was not what national coach Gregor Townsend needed ahead of the Six Nations.

Glasgow had travelled south hoping to take revenge against the team that eliminated them from this competition last season but Quins came out on top again, winning 24-7 at Twickenham Stoop. It secured their own place in the last 16 and they were the better team on what was another satisfying night’s work for head coach Danny Wilson against the club who dispensed with his services in 2023.

It was a feisty encounter and tempers flared on more than one occasion but Glasgow just couldn’t quite get their attacking game going. They conceded tries in the opening quarter to the impressive Chandler Cunningham-South and James Chisholm but fought back with a brilliant team try, finished off by Tom Jordan. But they failed to score a point after the break and Caden Murley’s late try sealed the win for Quins.

It was a sticky start for Glasgow, and not just due to the loss of Cummings. They botched an early lineout opportunity close to the Quins line and then conceded two tries in five minutes before the first half was even 20 minutes old.

Marcus Smith was probing and pressing for the home side and he started the move which led to the opening score, flinging it long to Murley. Cunningham-South took it on and the England back-rower forced his way over despite the efforts of a clutch of Glasgow defenders. Smith added the conversion.

The Warriors came straight back but a brilliant break by Josh McKay came to nought when the full-back threw the ball away.

It was to prove costly as Quins added their second try a couple of minutes later, Chisholm finishing off a two-phase move. Smith converted then put over a penalty to push his team 17-0 ahead.

Glasgow were getting frustrated and it was exacerbated when Will Porter knocked the ball away before the restart, a simple piece of skullduggery by the Quins scrum-half which earned a rebuke from French ref Pierre Brousset. Rory Sutherland and Tyrone Green then squared up to each other after Green ran into the Scotland prop who simply stood his ground.

Warriors needed to channel their anger in the right way and that’s what they did in the 28th minute when Stafford McDowall sparked a brilliant try, starting the move then slipping in Jamie Dobie with a lovely pass which he shipped on to Jordan to score. The stand-off converted and Glasgow looked like they might then get a second only for Jordan’s pass to be intercepted.

Quins were stung and Ben Waghorn thought he’d got their third try just before half-time but it was chalked off because Oscar Beard had obstructed Huw Jones. A let-off for Glasgow who trailed 17-7 at the break.

The visitors had a try of their own disallowed early in the second half when Sebastian Cancelliere dived over. It was the Argentine’s misfortune that McKay had knocked it forward in the build-up while contesting in the air with Smith.

Tempers had boiled again over a couple of minutes earlier when Kyle Rowe was dumped on his back by Cunningham-South. Matt Fagerson took exception but the Glasgow flanker was given a talking to by Brousset.

McDowall, in his first game back after suspension, looked the best creative hope for Glasgow and produced a neat little chip and chase but his offload was wayward and the chance was gone.

There was a further setback for the visitors when Gregor Hiddleston, who had only been on the pitch for five minutes, had to be helped off, meaning a swift return for Johnny Matthews.

Quins were defending stoutly and they put the game beyond Glasgow with a swift counter-attack after Will Evans pinched it off McDowall at the breakdown. The ball was moved wide to Murley who ran it home from his own half. Smith’s conversion made it 24-7.

Scorers and teams

Scorers: Harlequins: Tries: Cunningham-South, Chisholm, Murley. Cons: Smith 3. Pens: Smith.

Glasgow Warriors: Try: Jordan. Con: Jordan.

Harlequins: T Green; N David, O Beard, B Waghorn, C Murley; M Smith, W Porter (D Care 61); F Baxter (W Jones 61), J Walker (S Riley 72), T Lamositele (S Kerrod 40), J Chisholm, S Lewies (J Launchbury 56), C Cunningham-South, J Kenningham (W Evans 63), A Dombrandt (T Lawday 73).

Glasgow Warriors: J McKay, S Cancelliere (B Afshar 56), H Jones, S McDowall, K Rowe, T Jordan (D Weir 71), J Dobie, R Sutherland (J Bhatti 56), J Matthews (G Hiddleston 56-61), Z Fagerson (S Talakai 56), E Ferrie, S Cummings (A Samuel 9), M Fagerson, R Darge (H Venter 56), J Dempsey (G Brown 68).

Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra).