Glasgow’s rampaging Australia wing Taqele Naiyaravoro announced himself to European rugby with a brilliant hat-trick as the Warriors relaunched their European Champions Cup campaign with a rout of Scarlets at Scotstoun.
The 6 foot 5 inch 20 stone man mountain could have had four tries as a brilliant solo score in the first half was chalked off for a toenail in touch, but the injury-depleted Welshman had no answer to the giant when he got up any kind of head of steam on a sodden Scotstoun pitch.
Duncan Weir, young hooker James Malcolm and Tim Swinson added three more tries for the necessary bonus point haul of five points which keeps the Warriors in the hunt for a quarter-final place, although it’s still a tough ask with away games to come in Northampton and Paris.
But with the power of Naiyaravoro on the wing who can tell what could lie ahead, as the Fiji-born Wallaby showed his wrecking power throughout and his hat-trick exhibited his strength, his pace and even a bit of finesse and opportunism.
It wasn’t the perfect performance by the Warriors with a host of handling errors, but there was plenty to please, notably in a solid scrum and lineout, a strong defence with Alex Dunbar back to his best, and plenty of good work across the pitch.
Perhaps because footing was not perfect, Glasgow opted to send a kickable penalty to the corner early in the game, and made an early strike on the scoreboard.
From a decent maul a penalty was coming but the Warriors kept the ball alive for Weir to dart through a gap and score, adding the conversion himself.
Steve Shingler kicked a penalty for Scarlets and the remainder of the first half was one of frustration for Glasgow with too many handling errors.
Stuart Hogg was guilty of missing a guilt-edged chance with Shingler threw a pass straight at him just a couple of yards from the Scarlets’ line but the Scotland full-back juggled and dropped the gift.
Naiyaravoro had already proved a big threat with a couple of barnstorming runs when he took a clearance kick right on the touchline and returned it in devastating fashion, knocking aside three defenders on his way to score, only for TMO pictures to show he’d had the tip of big toe on the touchline before he started his run.
Weir’s penalty was scant reward for Glasgow’s dominance all over the pitch and there was a nervousness in the 6,576 crowd when Shingler reduced the gap with a penalty early in the second half.
But there was no need for panic as Glasgow again turned down a kickable penalty to go for the corner, Leone Nakarawa won the lineout and at the end of an impressive drive 21-year-old hooker Malcolm scored a try in his first start for the club.
Then with Finn Russell on for Weir Glasgow moved the ball wide with Naiyaravoro leaving another three defenders flattened as he went in for a thrilling third try.
The bonus try showed the big wing’s timing and anticipation as he was in perfect position to take a Russell cross kick and stroll untouched in for his second, and his hat-trick came when he intercepted Regan King’s pass and rumbled 70 yards the other way.
Swinson, on for Jonny Gray, smashed over after a fine break from substitute scrum-half Grayson Hart’s fine break to complete the rout.
Glasgow: S Hogg (S Lamont 66); T Naiyaravoro, A Dunbar, P Horne, T Seymour; D Weir (F Russell 55), M Blair (G Hart 63); R Grant (J Yanuyanutawa 47), J Malcolm, S Puafisi (Z Fagerson 55); L Nakarawa, J Gray (capt, T Swinson 55); J Strauss, S Favaro, A Ashe (R Harley 63).
Scarlets: S Evans; H Robinson, R King, G Owen, M Tagicakibau (M Collins 68); S Shingler (A Thomas 57), G Davies ( R Williams 62); P John (D Evans 52), E Lewis (capt), R Jones (S Lee 53); G Earle (M Paulino 53), T Price; L Rawlins, T Phillips (J Condy 22), M Allen (K Myhill 68).
Ref: M Raynal (FFR)