Glasgow 28 Chiefs 21
Glasgow Warriors 28
Exeter Chiefs 21
Mark Stevens at Scotstoun
Exeter’s hopes of dining out with Europe’s elite in the latter stages of this season’s Champions Cup were sadly burnt to pieces in a crucial ten minute spell here at Scotstoun.
With little to choose between the Chiefs and hosts Glasgow Warriors at the break, it was the Scotsmen who prospered in the second period, claiming a first European win of the season, and with it extinguishing Exeter’s hopes of a last eight place.
A controversial yellow card against Chiefs scrum-half Nic White not only saw him banished from the action midway through the half, but the penalty try and subsequent scores for Tommy Seymour and Matt Fagerson proved the death nail for the English champions.
Rob Baxter’s side, who had cancelled out Stuart Hogg’s early score with a try of their own from Sam Simmonds, did their best to counter with late scores from Don Armand and Ian Whitten. However, it was never enough and left Baxter and his team somewhat crest-fallen at the final whistle.
Looking to build on their six-try victory over Montpellier, the Chiefs arrived North of the Border with a largely unchanged line-up from that which had seen off the star-studded French outfit seven days earlier.
The pack remained unchanged, while behind the loss of centre Sam Hill to a shoulder injury meant Ian Whitten moved back into the midfield alongside centre, Lachie Turner switched to the wing and Phil Dollman was promoted from the bench to fill the vacant anchor slot.
The Warriors, meanwhile, were much changed from the side that suffered a fifth successive European loss to Leinster last time out in Dublin. With the Six Nations looming large on the horizon, all of their frontline Scottish internationals were on parade as they looked to end a miserable Champions Cup campaign on a high note.
With the overnight snowfall having been cleared just before kick-off, it was the Chiefs who were caught cold. Just over a minute had been played when the Scotsmen sliced open their rivals with a slick attack that created the opening for full-back Hogg to race in under the sticks for the opening score, converted by Russell.
From the restart, however, the Chiefs had the ideal opportunity to fashion a response. Having been awarded a penalty by French referee Romain Poite, Steenson drilled the ball to within five metres of the home line, setting up a great attacking platform for the visitors.
The subsequent line-out, so often a powerful attacking weapon for the Chiefs, was gathered in, but the Warriors did well to repel the drive off Don Armand’s claim, not only defending their try-line, but also ripping the ball in contact and allowing them to clear the danger.
Undeterred, Baxter’s side continued to press forward in attack and again they launched their juggernaut pack into a series of powerful carries deep inside the Glasgow 22. Sam Simmonds, Harry Williams and Luke Cowan-Dickie led the initial raid, before locks Jonny Hill and Mitch Lees got in on the act.
Again, the Chiefs could not turn possession into points as they were again stripped off possession close to the home try-line.
Sadly, it would prove a recurring theme for the visitors in the opening quarter as further chances for Simmonds, Armand and Lachie Turner all came and went without the scoreboard being troubled.
Although dominating territory and possession, the Chiefs were struggling to find their usual fluency in attack. However, when Nic White disrupted Glasgow ball off their own scrum, the Aussie fed Steenson, who in turn released compatriot Ian Whitten on the charge. Still with plenty to do, the Ulsterman drove towards the line at a rate of knots brushing aside the attentions of two home defenders en route.
But just as it looked as though Whitten - who this week agreed a new three-year deal with the Chiefs - had claimed their opening try, some last-gasp heroics from Tommy Seymour appeared to save the day. Poite was undecided on the grounding, so asked for referral up to the TV match official. A series of replays ensued on the big screen, the results of which found in favour of the Scotsmen.
It summed up the frustrations of the Chiefs who, on 27 minutes, threatened again - this time through Woodburn - down the left flank, only for the winger to be bundled into touch by a clutch of scrambling home defenders.
At the other end, a rare counter from the Warriors saw a Hogg chip-and-chase cause Steenson to scramble back and gather under the crossbar. As a swathe of home attackers converged on the Exeter playmaker, he used the base of the post to propel himself forward before his team-mates intervened to help clear the danger.
It would have been tough to concede again just before the break, but it was the Chiefs who at last found their mark on the stroke of half time.Woodburn and Dollman were involved in the build-up, the latter declining to feed Ben Moon outside of him, but with the calvary close at hand, the visiting pack took charge, creating the opening for Sam Simmonds to drive over from close range. Steenson converted to ensure parity was restored at the break..
HALF TIME GLASGOW WARRIORS 7 EXETER CHIEFS 7
The converted score was just what the doctor has ordered and the Chiefs re-emerged for the second period clearly ignited by Simmonds’ score.England international Slade sounded their attacking intent within a minute, latching onto a pass from Woodburn and gliding his way deep into the Glasgow 22.A series of phases followed, but the Warriors not only repelled the attack, but did enough to win themselves a penalty and ultimately clear their lines.
Moments later and the visitors were again on the front foot, this time through Woodburn, whose fancy footwork saw him round two defenders before feeding Cowan-Dickie on the left touchline. Sadly, though, the Cornishman could not hang onto the pass and the chance came and went.
Scottish international Russell was doing his best to pull the strings for the home side, showing some deft touches at times, and he even tried a long-range drop-goal attempt, only for it to fall short of the mark.
The Warriors, it has to be said, were enjoying more possession than the opening period and when they tried to work an opening off a five-metre scrum, they struck gold - albeit again through the intervention of the TMO - who this adjudged White had deliberately knocked on trying to save the Chiefs down the blindside.
Not only did Poite show the Aussie international a yellow card, but more importantly he awarded the hosts a penalty try - and with it helped to restore their seven-point buffer heading towards the hour mark.
With the man advantage, the Warriors looked to inflict further misery on the Chiefs as Russell put a penalty for the home side to within five metres of the Exeter line. Roared on by a partisan home crowd, Glasgow sensed they had a moment to pounce and deliver a potentially telling blow on their English rivals.
Instead, the line-out was long and the Devonians propelled themselves back down field with a counter led by Simmonds and followed up by both Cowan-Dickie and Woodburn, who did his best to try and offload to the onrushing Matt Kvesic.
Seemingly back where they needed to be, the Chiefs looked to impose a bit of pressure. Instead, Baxter’s side were hit with two hammer blows from the Warriors. Inspired on both occasions by the electric Hogg, the full-back took command of the ball deep inside his own 22 before setting off a charge which, having got through a collection of different hands, resulted in a try for Seymour.
Russell banged over the extras to that score and Glasgow’s all-important fourth, which came when Hogg again provided the initial link, creating space for Peter Horne and George Horne to set-up Fagerson to charge over with little resistance.
Ultimately, it was to prove two fatal blows to Exeter’s European aspirations, but to their credit the Chiefs refused to throw in the towel. Indeed, in a steely show of defiance the visitors made light of their predicament to hit back with two tries of their own.
Armand was the first to cross, steering himself under the home posts with one of his trademark close-range drives; then Whitten added a third in the left corner to give the Chiefs renewed vigour late on. On both occasions Steenson’s trusty right boot added the conversion, the latter putting them back within a converted score of the Warriors.
Although there was still time for the Chiefs to potentially rescue something from their long jaunt to the other end of the country, the Warriors were having none of it and they masterfully closed out the contest with relative ease.
Hogg saw a lengthy penalty chance cannon back off the near post in the dying minutes, but by then the job had been done and dusted. For the Chiefs, tackling Europe’s elite will come again next season, but in the meantime the focus will now switch firmly back to domestic matters, most notably defending their Premiership crown.
Warriors: S Hogg; T Seymour, H Jones, A Dunbar (P Horne 14), L Sarto (L Jones 58); F Russell, G Horne (A Price 71); J Bhatti (A Allan 53), G Turner (G Stewart 8), S Halanukonuka (D Rae 53); R Harley, J Gray (capt); M Fagerson, M Smith (C Fusaro 30), A Ashe (C Fusaro 10-17, G Peterson 73).
Tries - Hogg, Penalty Try, Seymour, Fagerson; Conversions - Russell (3), Penalty Try
Chiefs: P Dollman; L Turner, H Slade (J Simmonds 64), I Whitten, O Woodburn; G Steenson (capt), N White (W Chudley 63); B Moon (M Low 64), L Cowan-Dickie (E Taione 63), H Williams (T Francis 50); M Lees (T Salmon 63), J Hill; D Ewers (M Kvesic 51), D Armand, S Simmonds. Replacement (not used): T Hendrickson.
Tries - S Simmonds, Armand, Whitten; Conversions - Steenson (3)
Yellow Card: White
Referee: R Poite (Fra)
Attendance: 7,531