Glasgow Warriors vaulted into the Rabodirect PRO12 playoff places and recorded their first four-try bonus point of the season with a cruise to victory over Benetton Treviso at Scotstoun last night.
The Warriors moved ahead of Ospreys still with a game in hand over the Welsh region thanks to a three-try blitz in the opening quarter of an hour, although they had to wait until midway into the second half to secure the bonus.
Scotland wing Sean Maitland’s class was the key, as the speedster set up two tries in that opening burst and then scored the clincher from 40 metres out as the Italians struggled to keep him in check.
Henry Pyrgos’ smart support running brought two tries with Niko Matawalu claiming the other, while the sponsor’s man of the match Finn Russell converted three tries and scored a penalty in a strong display at inside centre.
It was far from a complete performance, however, with Glasgow’s own defence as porous as the Italians’ in the first half, some lineout difficulties despite the return of Al Kellock and too many penalties conceded.
Glasgow’s opening burst against Treviso’s paper-thin defence should have settled them, but they strangely didn’t dominate the contest in the way such a blinding start would have suggested.
Within a minute Maitland’s pace into the line and dmissive fend of a defender broke the Italians’ defence and Pyrgos was in place to take his inside pass load and dive over with barely 60 seconds played.
Three minutes later Mark Bennett picked a great line against the drift of the defence to burst through, holding off two tacklers before feeding the supporting Matawalu to score near the posts, Russell converting.
Poor defence on Glasgow’s part allowed Treviso to strike back through centre Alberto Sgarbi, after a loose Ruaridh Jackson kick invited Luke McLean to counterattack.
But the home side bounced right back with Maitland again beating defenders with pace and strength, Rob Harley providing the link for smart support play again from Pyrgos, who ran round behind the posts to make the conversion easy for Russell.
Treviso then enjoyed much of the possession but although Tobias Botes kicked a penalty to draw his team closer, he missed two glaring chances to get his side within range.
Instead, Glasgow should have secured the bonus before half-time but Treviso’s defence at the line stiffened and Jackson’s loose long pass to Maitland stalled the opportunity.
The Warriors got in a similar position at the start of the second half but again couldn’t breach the defence and settled for a Russell penalty, but on 54 minutes they again they got more joy from attacking from deeper.
Leone Nakarawa, on for skipper Kellock, scragged Botes at a ruck on halfway to win the ball, and when the Warriors shifted the ball wide Maitland cruised away imperiously from his opposite number for a deserved score, Russell converting.
From there Glasgow seemed happy with their lot and got Peter Horne on for his first appearance in nine months, negotiating a yellow crad for Tyrone Holmes without further damage to the scoreline.
Att: 4710
Glasgow: P Murchie; S Maitland (L Jones 62), M Bennett (R Vernon 71), F Russell, N Matawalu; R Jackson (P Horne 60), H Pyrgos; G Reid (J Yanyanutawa 50), P MacArthur (K Bryce 60), G Cross (M Low 60); T Swinson, A Kellock (capt, L Nakarawa 50); R Harley (J Eddie 62), T Holmes, R Wilson.
L McLean; A Pratichetti, C Loamanu, A Sgarbi, A Esposito; J Ambrosini, T Botes; M Muccigant (a De Marchi 40), L Ghiraldini (G Maistri 61), I Fernandez-Rouyet (L Cittadini 40); A Pavanello (C Van Zyl 61), V Bernabo; M Fuser (M Filippucci 9), P Derbyshire, R Barbieri.
Ref: G Vivarini (FIR)