The unsettling pattern of the English clubs’ experience in Europe this season was continued in Glasgow, where the English champions, no less, were taught a lesson in precision and wit by their hosts from the Pro14. Exeter came north in search of a win. A losing bonus point left them as clubhouse leaders in the race for a runners-up spot but they knew it would not be enough.
“It is hard to talk,” said Rob Baxter, their director of rugby. “I’m very disappointed, not because we lost or because this European campaign has slipped away from us, but we weren’t as good as we needed to be.”
Glasgow’s interest in this competition had long since expired but for a side of this class to finish a campaign with six defeats from six would have been absurd and they played as if they knew it. They welcomed back a host of international-calibre backs, who tormented their visitors with a fraction of the ball hogged by Exeter.
Indeed, Hogg was the word. Scotland’s full-back Stuart returned in full regalia to announce his fitness for Scotland’s Six Nations campaign with one of a series of dazzling performances from the Scottish backs, complemented by hard accuracy in the loose by their young, mobile forwards.
Glasgow, like Scotland, are labouring under something of an injury crisis and lost four more, including George Turner and Alex Dunbar in the first quarter, but it did not disrupt the side, bar a certain looseness at the set piece.
Exeter, realistically, needed to win with a bonus point. It is a dangerous directive for any side but particularly one having to travel the length of these isles to the frozen north and the kind of artificial pitch they have never particularly enjoyed. Their mission was further complicated by a classic quicksilver raid by Glasgow after barely a minute. Finn Russell’s footwork breached the line, whereupon the ball was worked smartly via George Horne to Hogg. Seven points, no argument.
But Exeter are nothing if not patient, working phases like few others. Patient but strangely careless here too, they coughed up the ball time and again as they hammered away. The pattern was set, the visitors’ advantage in possession and territory overwhelming.
It was not until a minute before the break that Exeter finally battered over for their first try. Glasgow overthrew a lineout, which the tireless Luke Cowan-Dickie swooped on, setting in motion yet another set of phases. This was completed by the power of Exeter’s back row round the fringes, where Sam Simmonds drove over to draw Exeter level.
The game was to turn on a marginal decision in the third quarter. At first no one had noticed when Russell’s pass scudded into touch with two front-row forwards outside him. Nic White’s tackle had seemed innocuous enough but the replays piqued the interest of the referee, who decided with the TMO that White’s arm had batted the ball into touch deliberately. It was delicate call but once it was made the punishments cascaded – penalty try and a yellow card for White.
To describe what followed as further consequence would be churlish indeed. Glasgow took the bonus point with two tries in as many minutes of divine construction. If Exeter had had 16 on the field they would surely have been confounded.
On the hour Tommy Seymour, another returning international, was released from his 22. The support running of Glasgow’s three-quarters was unanswerable, Russell, Hogg and George Horne combining to send Seymour over. Astounding, but the Warriors were not finished. From the next play, Hogg broke and more support – from Seymour and both Hornes, Peter and George – put Matt Fagerson in for Glasgow’s fourth and a 28-7 lead.
That it was not the end of the story is of some consolation to the English and their champions. They responded with two tries before the last 10 minutes. – Don Armand finished after a break by Joe Simmonds before Ian Whitten rounded off a flowing move to pull the Chiefs back to within seven.
They did not threaten again. Overwhelming possession had yielded precious little, undone by opponents who needed but a few morsels with which to work their magic. It felt like an apt summary of English travails in Europe.
Glasgow Hogg; Seymour, H Jones, Dunbar (P Horne 14), Sarto (L Jones 58); Russell, G Horne (Price 71); Bhatti (Allan 53), Turner (Stewart 8), Halanukonuka (Rae 53), Harley, Gray (capt), M Fagerson, Smith (Fusaro 30), Ashe (Peterson 73)
Tries Hogg, Penalty, Seymour, Fagerson Cons Russell 3
Exeter Dollman; Turner, Slade (J Simmonds 64), Whitten, Woodburn; Steenson (capt), White (Chudley 64); Moon (Low 64), Cowan-Dickie (Taione 64), Williams (Francis 51), Lees (Salmon 64), Hill, Ewers (Kvesic 52), Armand, S Simmonds
Tries Simmonds, Armand, Whitten Cons Steenson 3
Sin-bin White 53
Referee Romain Poite (France)
