Glasgow Warriors secured the qualification for the Rabodirect PRO12 play-offs by outclassing the reigning champions the Ospreys with a flair-filled five-try performance in a 35-17 victory at Scotstoun.
Inspired by flying Fijian Niko Matawalu, two-try Ryan Grant and the outgoing stalwarts Graeme Morrison and man-of-the-match John Barclay, the Warriors returned to the form that had taken them to the top of the PRO12 although they lost playmaker Duncan Weir to what looked like a serious knee injury.
The Warriors now have to win big at Connacht in two weeks and hope results go their way to book a home semi-final, probably essential as they look near unbeatable on their home patch.
Skipper Al Kellock is delighted to be in the play-offs and said he was thrilled to score five tries against the best defensive team in the league.
“We dictated that game, something we didn’t do against Scarlets last week,” he said.
“But we’ve drawn a line under that now. We did the hard things that no one really sees, the kick chase and putting the bodies on the line, and we were able to make the space for our back to be brilliant, which they have been all year.”
The biggest Scotstoun crowd of the season’s dismay at seeing Weir miss two early penalties to Dan Biggar’s early success didn’t last long as the home side responded in ruthless fashion.
A swift combination between Weir and Sean Maitland sprung Alex Dunbar deep into Ospreys territory, but Barclay, looking for a try on his 150th appearance, was held up over the line.
But the Warriors got a big shove on in the resultant scrum and Grant eventually smashed over close to the posts, where Weir couldn’t miss the conversion.
Barely five minutes later the ever-lively Matawalu caught Ospreys’ back three out of position with a perfectly weighted kick over the top, and Maitland was never in doubt to be first to the touch down before defenders could intervene.
The Ospreys responded with a long series of phases but the Glasgow defence were exceptional and when the turnover came, they pounced for a third try.
Matawalu was again the spark, stepping out of tackles and off-loading to Sean Lamont, who combined with Dunbar and finally Grant appeared in support to race in for a brilliant score.Weir was finally successful after he had missed the second conversion and a third penalty.
The Warriors soaked up more pressure without damage before Weir landed a penalty with the last kick of the half and a handsome 22-3 advantage.
The Ospreys came out with burning ears from a half-time broadside and after referee Alain Rolland lost patience and sin-binned both Grant and Adam Jones, temporary replacement Cai Griffiths muscled over from close range for the visitors’ first try.
But barely two minutes later Glasgow had the bonus point score, when the Ospreys illegally stalled a Warriors rolling maul and the livewire Matawalu was off again, taking the quick tap and somehow dodging past tacklers in a confined space for the try.
The wind was taken right out of the home side’s sails by Weir’s injury and a try by another Ospreys replacement, Sam Lewis, reduced the margin to 27-17 with a full quarter to play.
But more brilliance by Matawalu produced a penalty that Peter Horne, on for Weir, kicked to settle the nerves for the final 10 minutes. And the replacement 10’s excellent cross-kick produced a fifth try for fellow sub DTH van de Merwe with the last play of the game.
* Edinburgh suffered another dose of Pro12 heartbreak, going down 30-10 to Treviso at the Stadio Monigo.