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Sun 31 May 2015 | 12:44
Glasgow Warriors beat Munster to win historic first ever Guinness PRO12 title

8
Comments

Glasgow Warriors created history last night as they became the first Scottish club to win the Guinness PRO12 with a convincing 31-13 victory over Munster in Belfast.

After finishing the regular season at the top of the table, Gregor Townsend's men showed just why they are the best team the league with a spectacular first half performance, virtually putting the game to rest with three fantastic tries.

At the forefront of most things good for the Scots, was Fijian second row Leone Nakarawa. The 6ft4 giant used his famous offloads to excellent effect as he orchestrated the first two tries, for Rob Harley and DTH van der Merwe respectively.

Despite Nakarawa's deserving man of the match title, scrum-half Henry Pyrgos controlled the game superbly from the start, and his third try after half an hour - latching onto a pass from a sumptuous break from Stuart Hogg - virtually ruled out any chance of a full Munster comeback.

Glasgow dominated Munster for the majority of the match and kept up their intensity despite the worseneing weather conditions. The Munstermen didn't relent however and struck back with a fine effort from centre Andrew Smith on the brink of half-time.

They should have bagged a second after the break but Glasgow just never looked like a side ready to give up on making history. Sublime defensive efforts prevented a further score as they held up Paul O'Connell over the line.

This proved a crucial turning point as the momentum swung back to Glasgow entering the final 20 minutes. And with it came Munster's capitulation as Finn Russell finished a prolonged period of pressure on the Irish line to score the fourth try, and all but seal the title.

A long range Duncan Weir penalty seven minutes from the end took them past 30 points in a commanding and emphatic victory.

Arguably one of the best moments in Scottish rugby in the professional era, Glasgow now combined sheer exaltation with an equal sense of releif as they became the first Scottish club side to ever win a major trophy.

And head coach Gregor Townsend is convinced there is more to come.

Speaking to BBC Scotland after the match, Townsend said, "We will be a much better team for having won."

"Jonny Gray is 21, Finn Russell 22, Stuart Hogg is 22. These players have committed to staying at the club and they have seen they can win trophies."

And he added: "There's a lot more to come from this group of players and they have now had the experience of winning something, which is fantastic."

Viw match highlights below, with some of the Glasgow celebrations on page two

Celebrations as Glasgow Warriors become the first Scottish side to ever win the PRO12

Posted By: Stephen Brunsdon

8 Comments

  • scraggly
    1:43 PM 04/06/2015

    HOGG DIDN'T SCORE A TRY YOU MUPPET !!!!

    It was Harley, DTH, Pyrgos and Russel that scored the tries.

    Stick to watching/commenting on baseball.

  • larry
    2:53 PM 01/06/2015

    I know the game I was watching. Second try the overhead shot shows it's a forward pass. First try the long pass was ever so slightly forward from what I see. Third try, by Hogg, in slow motion it's obvious his momentum doesn't carry over the ball, as if he was sliding over or up to the goal line and grounding the ball. He's tackled short and he double plays the ball. If slow motion shows that, then that's what should have been called: no try. Otherwise why have replay refs? By the way, in baseball here in America we have replays now on call that a manager can question, regarding whether a runner is safe or out at a base. Before replays what an umpire called, whether right or wrong, was what was called. Now with slow-motion replays one can see if an ump got the call right or wrong, whether a runner tagged a base before or after the ball was caught by the infielder at first, second, or third base, or a close play at home plate.

  • larry
    2:48 PM 01/06/2015

    Well, we have here in America replays on baseball now. Umpire call that never were overturned before now are, because of slow motion showing a runner to be out or safe at a base. So, looking at Hogg's try in slow motion it shows he's double playing the ball off the ground, having been tackled, and placing the ball over the goal line. There's no momentum of him sliding over the goal line. That's what slo-mo replays are supposed to show, or don't have replays. Regarding the second try, the overhead shot shows that the pass was forward, not even close to being a line ball. The first try the long pass looked slightly forward to me.
    Let's face this: corporate TV doesn't want boring low scoring games that end 6-3. Perhaps the refs are told to let some things go if they are close plays.

  • larry
    2:44 PM 01/06/2015

    The second try in particular was forward. The overhead shot really shows it to be so. The first try was the long pass that looked slightly forward to me. The third try Hogg was tackled short, and I don't think his momentum carried the ball over. It hit the ground, he grounded it over the try line. What's really obvious to me is that due to all these games on TV, there's corporate pressure to have lots of tries scored to get more people watching. 6-3 games aren't done anymore. Refs are probably told to let some things go if they are close.

  • andinov
    4:30 AM 01/06/2015

    As a Munster supporter congrats to the Scots. 'Though sorry for Paul OC, this is good for the league. With more competitive teams we'll hopefully see a rise in the standard of the pro12 competing with the Franglais for audiences, revenue and eventually European trophies.

  • drg
    10:54 PM 31/05/2015

    Interesting selection of troll newcomers have cropped up...

    Anyway, congratulations Glasgow, I hope you guys can build on this in all aspects of both club and international rugby.

    Commiserations to Munster, I hear talk of POC joining Toulon? or at least rumours of it?!? What a change, he's been at Munster for as long as I can remember!

  • welshosprey
    4:55 PM 31/05/2015

    Munster are trash away from home without the ref in their pocket. Put them under any sort of pressure and they'll cheat like crazy.
    Well deserved Glasgow.

  • larry
    3:06 PM 31/05/2015

    I've looked at the first two tries a few times over. Forward passes. Why have video refs if they can't see the obvious? The third try: double played off the ground. Try awarded anyway. Referees can make a difference. Don't get me wrong, as I'm glad the Scots side won such a big match, but if those tries aren't awarded the outcome of the match might have been different.

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