Glasgow Warriors Impressive in Bonus-Point Win at Sale Sharks in Champions Cup First Round

The Scottish side kicked off their Champions Cup campaign in ideal fashion with a valuable four-try away victory against Sale.

With the wind at their backs, Sale began strongly and raced to a 14-0 lead within the first quarter. Scores from Ernst van Rhyn and youngster Ollie Davies put them in command.

However, the visitors responded well with two tries before the interval. Hooker Hiddleston and flanker Darge both went over to narrow the gap.

Further second-half scores from captain Kyle Steyn and Stafford McDowall extended Glasgow's lead to twelve points. Marius Louw's reply for the hosts promised a nervous finish, but the visitors held firm to secure a major opening win.

Warriors Seize Initiative After Interval

The match started with a bang as Sale captain Ernst van Rhyn drove over from close range after just two minutes. An early injury to midfielder Ma'asi-White brought 19-year-old Ollie Davies into the action for his European debut.

Davies made an instant contribution. Moving to fly-half, he ran a smart angle to take an pass and score, making Sale's advantage.

Against difficult weather, Glasgow turned to their forward power to fight back into the game. A strong driving maul was finished by front-rower Hiddleston. Prior to the break, Rory Darge forced his way over, with Adam Hastings' conversion making it a narrow game at the interval.

Glasgow seized the advantage for the first time early in the restart. A misjudged box-kick was collected by No. 8 Jack Dempsey, who fed captain Kyle Steyn to break a challenge and race away to the line.

Now in the ascendancy, they clinched the fourth try when Stafford McDowall powered past a tackle to score his 100th appearance for the club. This try capped a run of twenty-six unanswered points.

Sale found a lifeline when Louw used neat footwork to score. The kick made it a one-score game with time remaining.

A final chance came for them from a throw in the corner, but they lost the possession, confirming the Warriors' victory.

What's Next?

Sale Sharks must regroup ahead of a trip to face Clermont Auvergne next Saturday. Meanwhile, Glasgow will welcome six-time winners Toulouse to Scotstoun.

The two sides are placed in a strong first pool that also includes the English side and South African team the Sharks.

Teams

Sale Sharks: Reed; O'Flaherty, Ma'asi-White, Louw, Wills; Du Preez, Quirke; McIntyre, Jibulu, John, Burrow, Bamber, Vermeulen, Van Rhyn, T Curry.
Replacements: Caine, Onasanya, Harper, Andrews, B Curry, Warr, Davies, Wehr.

Glasgow Warriors: McKay; Steyn, McDowall, Tuipulotu, Smith; Hastings, Horne; McBeth, Hiddleston, Z Fagerson, Williamson, Cummings, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.
Replacements: Stephen, Sutherland, Talakai, Samuel, Brown, Miller, Dobie, Lancaster.

Match Officials

Referee: Pierre Brousset (France).
Assistant Referees: Vincent Blasco Baque (French) and Julien Caulier (French).
TMO: Tual Trainini (French).