Glasgow Warriors begin with a win: one-sided scoreline does not tell story, George Horne marks milestone with try

Glasgow Warriors' Stafford McDowell celebrates winning a penalty during the URC win over Leinster.

The 43-25 scoreline might suggest an open game in which Glasgow Warriors won against Leinster with something to spare. The reality was that the outcome of this first United Rugby Championship was in doubt until the final five minutes, when a touchdown by Johnny Matthews and then a penalty try settled the issue.

Before then, a Leinster side still shorn of their World Cup contingent gave more or less as good as they got against a home squad which featured seven men who had been on active service with Scotland in France. The Irish team may only have been ahead briefly, but before those two late concessions they always threatened to pull off a shock.

While the Warriors enjoyed sustained pressure from the start, Leinster’s stubborn defiance of the offence was an indication of what was to come. Eventually, though, a chink in the Irish was discovered following a lineout as Rory Darge raced through a gap in midfield before offloading to Josh McKay. The full-back, making his competitive return after seven months out with a broken foot, finished off unopposed. Tom Jordan added the two points.

Leinster hit back with a Harry Byrne penalty right from the restart, then the stand-off added a second three-pointer minutes later. But the Warriors did not take long to stretch their lead, with Sebastian Cancelliere touching down in the right corner after good work by Gregor Brown. Jordan’s conversion attempt was wide this time.

Leinster then took the game to their hosts with an assertive series of drives from the pack. Loosehead prop Jack Boyle, making his competitive debut, delivered the coup de grace from close range, and Byrne’s conversion put the visitors in front for the first time with half-an-hour on the clock.

The lead lasted less than three minutes, however. With advantage being played, Glasgow were able to take a chance on a loose ball. Stafford McDowall hacked ahead and the bounce fell kindly for Huw Jones, who ran in unopposed, with Jordan converting. Two minutes later, hooker Angus Fraser secured the try bonus point following a ruck. Failure to convert left the score 24-13 at the break.

Leinster secured the first score of the second half when Lee Barron broke through from a lineout and Byrne converted. Cancelliere was shown a yellow card for illegally halting an attack as the pressure mounted, but then George Horne came off the bench for his 100th Glasgow appearance – and within a minute was celebrating with a try after sprinting through in support of Greg Peterson. Horne’s own conversion attempt fell short.

A Liam Turner touchdown for Leinster on the left was chalked off for a foot in touch after an extensive review, but with ten minutes remaining a similar score in the right corner by Tommy O’Brien was allowed to stand. Byrne missed for the first time, leaving the gap at four points, and that was as close as Leinster would get to a fightback as Matthews and then that penalty award ensured the home win.

Jordan Larmour and Brian Deeny were yellow-carded for offences in the build-up to those scores.

Glasgow scorers: Tries – McKay, Cancelliere, Jones, Fraser, Horne, Matthews, penalty try. Cons – Jordan 2, Horne.

Leinster scorers: Tries – Boyle, Barron, O’Brien. Cons – Byrne 2. Pens – Byrne 2.

Glasgow Warriors: J McKay; S Cancelliere, H Jones, S McDowall, K Steyn (captain); T Jordan (D Weir, J Dobie (G Horne 52); O Kebble (N McBeth 52), A Fraser (J Matthews 52), Z Fagerson (L Sordoni 60), G Peterson, S Cummings (A Samuel 75), G Brown (T Gordon 64), R Darge, H Venter (A Miller 52).

Leinster: C Frawley; T O’Brien (S Prendergast 67), L Turner, C Ngatai, J Larmour; H Byrne, L McGrath (C Foley 50); J Boyle (P McCarthy 50), J McKee (L Barron 26), T Clarkson (R McGuire 50), R Molony, J Jenkins (B Deeny 50), M Deegan, S Penny (captain, W Connors 74), J Culhane (R Ruddock 50).

Referee: Craig Evans (Wales).