Keatley debuts as Glasgow made to work hard for PRO14 win at Zebre
Glasgow climbed back to fourth in Conference A after battling to a 31-20 Guinness PRO14 victory at Zebre.
The Warriors headed to Italy having won the previous 16 meetings between the sides but were made to work to preserve that perfect record.
Two tries from Mattia Bellini late in the first half turned the match on its head after Ross Thompson had put Danny Wilson’s side in control with a converted try and a penalty.
Glasgow’s challenge was hindered by overlapping stints in the sin bin for Sam Johnson and Ollie Smith either side of the break.
However, the Warriors found another gear when back to their full complement and secured the bonus-point win thanks to tries from Jamie Dobie, Tom Gordon and Nick Grigg, going four points clear of Zebre with a game in hand.
The Warriors made an encouraging start but the flow of the match was interrupted by a troubling clash of heads between Michelangelo Biondelli and Gregor Brown.
The Zebre full-back had been on the charge when a quick change of direction saw him collide head-to-head with Brown.
Biondelli left the field on a stretcher after receiving treatment, while Glasgow back-rower Brown – making his first start – got back to his feet but was helped off by medical staff following the impact.
Paolo Pescetto opened the scoring from the tee when play eventually resumed, although Thompson restored parity four minutes later.
Thompson then moved Glasgow in front for the first time after 23 minutes when Zebre failed to deal with Cole Forbes’ grubber kick and the fly-half pounced to touch down before adding the extras.
Zebre lost Potu Leavasa to the sin bin but emerged from his absence back on level terms, with Renato Giammarioli’s offload sending Bellini in under the posts and Pescetto making it 10-10.
Match highlights from an early afternoon treat as @ZebreRugby took on @GlasgowWarriors ?
Report ?? https://t.co/T3q6STSeyk
#?? #ZEBvGLA
? #GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/kcjQQDxsF6— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) March 6, 2021
The Warriors had Johnson yellow-carded for a tackle in the build-up to that try and Bellini scored his second in the space of two minutes as Zebre took a seven-point lead into half-time.
Glasgow were temporarily down to 13 men three minutes into the second half when Smith was penalised for a deliberate knock-on, and Pescetto opened up a 10-point advantage before the full-back’s punishment was up.
Smith never returned to the action but replacement Grigg was key to the move that brought Glasgow back into the game, carving a path through the Zebre defence before sending Dobie under the posts, and debutant Ian Keatley kicked the Warriors within three.
? Two tries in as many weeks for our all-action mulleted openside.
A richly deserved Player of the Match award for Thomas Gordon.#WhateverItTakes ???? pic.twitter.com/vUU65D1fJB
— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) March 6, 2021
Enrico Lucchin was sent to the bin as Zebre came under pressure on their own line and Glasgow’s persistence paid off when Gordon emerged from the back of a ruck and stretched for the line before Grigg wrapped up the win and a bonus point, with Keatley converting both tries.
Comments on RugbyPass
Coleman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
2 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
6 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
4 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
4 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
6 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to commentsThe Crusaders can't buy a win this season. Surely Penney's contract won't be renewed. There's still enough talent in the squad that they oughta be winning more.
1 Go to comments