Leicester Tigers 0 - 43 Glasgow Warriors

Glasgow Warriors traveled to Welford Road hoping to secure a European Rugby Champions Cup quarter-final berth.

Leicester, who were unable to progress to the knockout stages, defended well in the early stages of the games but the Warriors got the first try of the game after patient build-up play.

Glasgow worked their way to within 10 metres of the Leicester line, before Tommy Seymour spotted a gap and his cleverly timed run almost got him over, but he still manged to stretch and score under the posts. Finn Russell converted and it was the perfect start for the Warriors.

With almost nine minutes on the clock Glasgow had to defend Leicester’s first attack of the game but they did well and won the ball back. Russell then put in a massive kick from inside his own 22 which bobbled into touch inside the Leicester 22. From the resulting line-out the home side won a penalty but couldn’t make much distance on the kick, whch allowed Glasgow to keep the pressure on the home side.

The pressure paid off as the Warriors won a penalty in front of the posts and Russell duly stepped up to move them 10-0 ahead with 12 minutes on the clock.

With 18 minutes gone the Warriors won another kickable penalty and with any kind of win enough to take them through Russell immediately pointed to the posts. This time though his kick just missed and it remained 10-0 to Glasgow. 

Two minutes later Leicester were temporarily down to 14 men when Mathew Tait was sent to the sin-bin for a challenge on Lee Jones as the winger sprinted down the touchline. From the resulting penalty Glasgow kicked to touch and continued to pile on the pressure.

Their second try came soon after and following a number of infringements by the home side referee Mathiew Raynal awarded the Warriors a penalty try which Russell converted and Glasgow led 17-0 after 22 minutes.

Freddie Burns missed a couple of Leicester penalties and then just before the half hour mark the Warriors scored their third try of the evening.

A move which started with Gordon Reid breaking inside the Leicester half was finished by Mark Bennett who ran in a beautifully worked score. Glasgow were playing some scintillating rugby at the home of the English Premiership side and both the forwards and backs were involved as they passed the ball around with ease.

Glasgow secured a try-bonus point with their fourth of the match five minutes before the break through captain Jonny Gray who ran in from a few metres out to score under the posts. Russell’s conversion completed the first-half scoring and after a terrific 40 minutes of rugby Glasgow led 31-0.

Early in the second-half the Warriors had an opportunity to extend their lead but Russell’s penalty dropped just short.

They did add a fifth try before the 50^th minute mark, following an innovative set-piece move. From a line-out deep inside the Leicester half, Ryan Wilson came running in from outside the line to break through the Tigers defence. The ball was recycled and the Warriors went through several phases before Wilson gathered again to dive over the whitewash. Russell’s conversion made it 38-0 to Glasgow.

There was still time for one more Glasgow try with Heineken Man of the Match Tim Swinson crashing over to make it 43-0 and complete the scoring on a memorable night for the club.

Glasgow had secured a famous victory in England to progress to the quarter-finals of Europe’s top tier competition for the first time, much to the delight of the large traveling support.