Zebre Parma 17-45 Glasgow Warriors: Scots get first URC away win for 11 months

Glasgow Warriors picked up a first away win for 11 months in the United Rugby Championship by defeating Zebre Parma.

But Sintu Manjezi responded before the break, and Sebastian Cancelliere, Stafford McDowall, Jonny Matthews and Domingo Miotti eventually ensured a comfortable win.

Jacques Du Toit grabbed a late double for Zebre, but it was mere consolation.

As with matches across rugby this weekend, there was a minute’s applause for Scotland legend Doddie Weir, who died last week after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

Glasgow had never tasted defeat to Zebre, but were also on a run of nine straight defeats on the road, so victory in Parma was by no means a given.

That was underlined in the opening 10 minutes when Matt Fagerson was sent to the bin for bringing down a maul that was rumbling towards the Glasgow try-line. Only a superb Richie Gray line-out steal on his own 5m line released the pressure valve.

Still Zebre battered away at the Glasgow line and their deserved breakthrough came when Geronimo Prisciantelli sent a gorgeous kick-pass into the arms of Bruno to dive over.

Warriors had been second-best by a considerable distance in the opening quarter, but just a minute after falling behind they drew level.

Zebre scrum-half Chris Cook took an age with his clearance box-kick, giving the giant figure of Manjezi the chance to charge down and gather the loose ball to score.

If Glasgow thought that would signal a change in momentum, they were mistaken.

Only some excellent last-ditch defending on the line from Steyn prevented Bruno going over for a second try to round off what was a wonderful attacking Zebre move.

A penalty from George Horne sent Glasgow into the break leading by three, but it was a lead they scarcely deserved after an uninspiring 40 minutes in which they conceded nine penalties.

Warriors were in desperate need of a spark and it came from the captain Steyn early in the second half.

Horne’s pass took out one defender and Steyn glided past a couple of tackles before unselfishly putting in Cancelliere for the try.

Moments later the visitors struck again to take firm control of the match. Bruno made a mess of Horne’s pinpoint box-kick, spilling the ball into the path of McDowall, who sprinted clear to score.

Horne kicked like a dream all afternoon and slotted the conversion to make it 24-7.

It was now all about chasing the four-try bonus point, and it duly arrived when substitute Matthews ploughed over from close range.

Another substitute hooker, Du Toit, responded in kind for the home side, before Domingo Miotti crossed for Warriors’ fifth try after good work in the build-up from Matthews.

Du Toit went over for his second try in almost identical fashion to his first, from a rolling line-out maul. But Matthews, not to be outdone by his opposite number, responded to add some gloss to the scoreline for Warriors.

Horne converted to round-off a flawless display from the tee to take his personal haul to 15 points. It was a far from perfect performance, but Glasgow got what they came for.

Line-ups

Zebre Parma: Pani, Bruno, Cronje, Lucchin, Trulla, Prisciantelli, Cook; Rizzoli, Manfredi, Nocera, Sisi, Zambonin, Fox-Matamua, Pelser, Kvesic.

Replacements: Du Toit, Rimpelli, Neculai, Uys, Ferrari, Garcia, Smith, Van Wyk.

Glasgow Warriors: Smith, Cancelliere, Tuipulotu, McDowall, Steyn, Jordan, Horne; Kebble, Brown, Z Fagerson, Manjezi, R Gray, Wilson, Vailanu, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Matthews, Bhatti, Walker, Du Preez, Bean, Brown, Dobbie, Miotti.

Referee: Tual Trainini