Tommy Seymour’s solo try brightened up a miserable night at Scotstoun and lifted the Glasgow Warriors to start their Rabodirect PRO12 season with a vital 22-15 win over the Cardiff Blues.
The Scotland winger sprinted in from 40 yards out just after the arrival of Chris Cusiter and Ruiradh Jackson from the bench gave the Warriors the lift they needed to overhaul the Welsh visitors, who had taken the lead with just over 10 minutes to play.
The one black mark for the Warriors was a serious-looking injury to Al Kellock in the first half but head coach Gregor Townsend was putting an optimistic spin on it after the match.
“Al’s ankle went but he was positive about it by half-time and we’ll assess him this weekend,” said Townsend, who admitted to “relief” that the Warriors had got the win.
“Delighted to be able to come back the way we did going three points down close to the end and then hanging on like we did,” he said.
“I thought we played some good stuff in the conditions and Tommy’s try was the result of a good move just well executed.”
Townsend had particular praise for teenager Jonny Gray, who replaced the veteran captain.
“Player for player, he played exceptionally well, but losing all that experience and leadership was tough for us.”
The start of the season predictably brought steady rain at Scotstoun, which restricted both sides to an ultra-conservative game with the ball being hoisted high into the wet night air at almost every opportunity.
Scott Wight booted an early penalty but Cardiff’s young fly-half Rhys Patchell responded with two, the second an impressive nudge from the halfway line.
However, when the Blues were penalised at a scrum on halfway, Mark Bennett stepped forward to reply with plenty to spare and level the scores again.
Glasgow suffered two injury blows in the first 20 minutes, with Byron McGuigan helped off and Kellock following him when he emerged from a scrum, with play delayed for several minutes until medics could get the lock on a stretcher.
The Warriors took time to regroup but were helped by Blues centre Owen Williams’ brainstorm as he tripped Peter Murchie on the run in full view of the officials and saw a yellow card.
Glasgow capitalised with two penalties before half-time, Wight kicking one from close range and Bennett his second from longer range.
Once Williams returned in the second half the Blues started to exert an advantage in possession and territory through the lineout and a superior kicking game, Patchell landing two from three penalty chances to pull the Blues level again for the final quarter.
The fly-half then made more territory count for the visitors by retreating deep into the pocket for an easy drop goal after the Blues won another kick-for-kick duel.
But in a game where midfield defences seemed impenetrable in the rain, Glasgow made the best clean break of the night count, with replacement scrum-half Cusiter’s flat pass springing Seymour at full sprint through the middle on a 40-yard run for the try.
Replacement Jackson landed the touchline conversion and then a penalty to pad out the Warriors’ lead to two scores as Macaulay Cook saw yellow for the Blues.
There was a late scare for the sell-out home crowd as the Blues were held up over the home line and Richie Vernon was yellow-carded but a penalty won at a five-yard scrum secured the Warriors’ victory.