Leinster 76
Glasgow Warriors 14
DAVID BARNES @ RDS Arena
EXPECTATIONS weren’t high for Glasgow Warriors going into this match but very few people, if anyone, could have anticipated that it would go as badly as it did. The visitors started brightly to take an early lead through a Zander Fagerson try, converted by Ross Thompson, and stayed in front until the 14th minute. But then Richie Gray picked up a yellow-card when his shoulder made contact with Leinster scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park’s jaw at a ruck, and thereafter it was a horror show for Danny Wilson’s side, who coughed up 12 tries in total and it could easily have been more.
This was the team’s heaviest defeat in any competition since they were hammered 90-19 by Leicester Tigers in the Heineken Cup in 1997, and the only other time they have lost by a wider margin was when they were smashed 76-9 against AS Montferrand in 1996. Warriors have now lost five games on the bounce, with the last two performances in particular – this and the 28-11 capitulation to Edinburgh a fortnight ago – setting alarm bells ringing.
There is no doubt Leinster are a top-quality side, even when missing a number of front-liners as was the case here, but the way the wheels came off in this match is totally unacceptable. It was humiliating for anyone associated with the club, the sort of performance and outcome which inevitably leads to heads rolling in professional sport.
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“We all take responsibility for this game,” said shellshocked head coach Wilson when asked about how this performance might impact his own position. “I do believe we were on the right track and our results over the season were better than last season. We’ve had some big wins this season, but that is what is going ot be on everyone’s minds fo the next few months.
“I understand how that feels for everybody,” he added. “I can assure you that everyone in the changing room is fully aware that we’ve let a lot of people down with our performance today. In our last two games we’ve dropped off a cliff.
“It’s extremely, extremely disappointing. It’s an unacceptable scoreline and an unacceptable performance. The players have said the same and every single one of us has to take responsibility – me, ultimately, and everyone involved in what was out there today.”
Leinster kicked to touch following Gray’s carding and then motored the line-out drive home with hooker Dan Sheehan claiming the try, then Thompson sent the restart out on the full and winger Jordan Armour swept in for a scond score in as many minutes straight from the scrum on halfway, and then some pretty passive defence led to second-row Joe McCarthy bulldozing in for try number three just before Warriors returned to full strength.
Warriors did manage to rally briefly, and came close to pulling a try back when Gregor Brown peeled off a line-out drive and wrestle over the line, but man-of-the-match Larmour managed to snaffle possession before the ball was grounded. That proved to be the last time Glasgow were really in the contest, with Sheehan getting his second and his team’s fourth try off another driven line-out with just over a minute of the half remaining.
If it had been a boxing match, the towel would have been in already, but Glasgow had not place to hide and Leinster – smarting from last weekend’s Heineken Cup Final defeat to La Rochelle – were in no mood for showing mercy. Home No 8 Caelan Doris claimed try number five with just four minutes of the second half played, before Ollie Smith was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on with Leinster players lining up on the left to finish off what would have been try number six.
Just as happened in the first half, Leinster scored three tries during their time with an extra man, with replacement tight-head Michael Ala’alatoa next on the scoresheet, quickly followed by Gibson-Park and then centre Garry Ringrose.
“We conceded 40 points during two yellow card.. We can’t be playing Leinster with 14 men for any period. You cannot be passive against Leinster. We sat off them because we were numbers down. The first yellow card killed us and the second killed us as well,” reflected Wilson afterwards, which might well be true but hardly makes this any easier to swallow.
There was a brief respite for Glasgow when Leinster cleared their bench and Sione Tuipulotu followed by Rufus McLean and Kiran McDonald capitalised on a dip in home focus to streak up field, leading to a second try for the visitors which was scored by George Horne, but normal service quickly resumed when Larmour scored again to make it 57-14.
Thereafter, it descended into high farce, with Ciaran Frawley picking off a slack Smith pass on halfway and cantering home, Luke McGrath scoring a try which was almost as easy just a minute later’s try a minute later was almost as easy, and Jimmy O’Brien piled the final dollop of misery on top of Glasgow when he claimed try number 12 with four minutes left to play.
“We fell apart at the end with conceding more tries,” said Wilson. “It’s very hard, very painful at the moment. We need to look at that and improve dramatically going into next season.”
Teams –
Leinster: J O’Brien; J Larmour, G Ringrose (R Henshaw 58), C Frawley, R O’Loughlin; R Byrne (H Byrne 66), J Gibson-Park (L McGrath 58); A Porter (C Healy 58) D Sheehan (S Cronin, 58), R Furlong (M Ala’alatoa 43), J McCarthy, J Ryan (R Molony 58), R Baird, J van der Flier (J Conan 59), C Doris.
Glasgow Warriors: O Smith; J McKay, S Tuipulotu, S Johnson, R McLean; R Thompson (D Miotti. 68), A Price (G Horne 49); J Bhatti (O Kebble 49), G Turner (F Brown 41), Z Fagerson (S Berghan 49), R Harley (L Bean 59), R Gray, R Wilson (K McDonald 59), G Brown (T Gordon 62), J Dempsey.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Scorers –
Leinster: Tries: Sheehan 2, Larmour 2, McCarthy, Doris, Ala’alatoa, Gibson-Park, Ringrose, Frawley, McGrath, O’Brien; Con: R Byrne 6, H Byrne 2.
Glasgow Warriors: Tries: Fagerson, Horne; Con: Thompson 2.
Scoring sequence (Leinster first): 0-5; 0-7; 5-7; 7-7; 12-7; 14-7; 19-7; 21-7; 26-7 (h-t) 31-7; 33-7; 38-7; 40-7; 45-7; 47-7; 52-7; 52-12; 52-14; 57-14; 62-14; 64-14; 69-14; 71-14; 76-14.
Yellow cards –
Glasgow Warriors: Gray (14mins), Smith (46mins)
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Very sad Glasgow Warriors…
Very worrying for the Scotland too, how can you believe to have a real chance against Ireland in the next WC?
I know this is a Glasgow thread but for Scottish rugby generally, we need a third team, more private money invested in the game and greater player numbers.
With these three things achieved a lot else would fall into place, over to you SRU.
Just listened to Danny Wilson on the BBC podcast – does he not get it – this was an abject surrender he and the coaching team are responsible. But blaming 2 yellow cards and suggesting the season was 75% good? Danny, we have not just stalled, we have gone into reverse gear on your watch.
I don’t expect Danny Wilson to make an off the cuff decision to quit straight after the game. But he should be realistic and do the honourable thing and resign – he asked to be judged on this years results and they are in, Glasgow are now a bad team going backwards.
He couldn’t even do the honourable thing as he has just been sacked.
Couldn’t agree more Rod, the players looked like they couldn’t care less and I have lost patience with Wilson. I thought Dave Rennie took us backwards but that reverse has accelerated very quickly and we are now a team that all teams expect to beat
Look behind the headline stats.
17 internationals in the squad.
4 of these (arguably) are first choice international players (2, 3, 9 and 12).
Without being overly unfair to 10 and 11, it is not inconceivable that none of the remaining 13 may never play for Scotland again.
McKay is wasted on the wing. Thompson and Smith need to gain experience and making them first choice in a struggling team may not be the best place to achieve this.
Either Horne or Price need to leave for their own good.
I completely agree with you Jack, I didn’t see this score coming but anyone with any knowledge of Glasgow could look at that team sheet and told you they were in for a hiding. when Wilson took over from Rennie there were maybe 8 players in the squad good enough for Glasgow ambitions. He’s brought that up to maybe 14 this season and if the signings pay off will maybe have 18 next.That’s not even a full match 23. Leinster have about 45. No way you can compete with top european teams like that. DW may not be the answer but he deserves a season with decent squad to show it. Rennie inherited a near championship winning squad and left a derelict. DW has had to rebuild almost his entire first team. there are some promising youngsters but apart from Darge none of them can yet dominate a game.
Rennie took Glasgow to a narrow loss in a pro14 final and two European QFs. I accept his future planning wasn’t great but to be blaming him for Glasgows predicament now is bizarre.
It isn’t all about personnel – at a bare minimum a coach should be able to instil organisation, strategy and commitment. Wilson hasn’t achieved any of those things in 3 years and there is no evidence he’s able to do so. Glasgow don’t have a title-winning squad but they do have a decent team and no way they should be putting in performances like that.
If the SRU don’t act next year will be a write off. Wilson has lost the dressing room and failure at the is scale must not be accepted. We know what will happen next – Bath have shown us what happens when a club allows a failed regime to continue.
Rennie’s ;last match in charge – a 50pt loss to Leinster in Dublin. Rennie’s last season – Glasgow won fewer league games than this season. Inherited a great side and brought in …..Halanukanaka. No forward planning from a coach who arrived late and left early.
No excuses for this week’s result and performance, but lets not pretend Rennie’s legacy was anything but rubbish
Have just put myself distress of reading Rugby headlines from national newspaper and rugby websites regarding yesterday’s quarterfinal. Yep in case you have forgotten this wasn’t just a common or garden thrashing this was a thrashing in the quarterfinals of an International competition watched by the rugby community in every corner of the globe. Thrashed, humiliated, pantomime, hapless, hopeless are all used in headlines to describe our teams embarrassing and inept capitulation.
Mark Dodson if you have been brave enough to read these reports yourself after watching this ongoing abomination of the past 2 years you surely know that the time is up for the present regime and some of the non triers who a fleecing money from supporters under false pretences. The thing is you require to act decisively and immediately, if not season ticket renewal day on the 26th will come and go without a lot of mouse clicking on the SRU website.
I’m sure Mr Dodson will have been working on a replacement for Wilson and I am sure we will be pleasantly surprised by who he brings in to replace Wilson.
I didn’t see the game and couldn’t believe the score when I saw it. Glasgow have reached a nadir with this one and might just be the jolt the players, coaching staff and Al Kellock need to sort their shit out
The only pleasant surprise Mr Dodson could give us would be if he tendered his resignation.
TO MR STEIN
Keyboard warriors? – what else are we meant to do this is an online forum and I suspect between us we have a fair bit of knowledge and expertise in rugby matters although I doubt any of us are quite up for a coaching contract and certainly not a playing one.
Don’t think anyone is suggesting a quick fix but we are horrified by such a shocking result and from a group of players who will next season still occupy a fair chunk of the Scotland side. It shouldn’t happen. Serious questions are rightly asked and we are entitled to ask them.
Keyboard warriors (sic) rightly or wrongly calling out individual players and coaches for the chop is the easy bit, whether or not any of the aforesaid laptop-mounted critics possess sufficient relevant knowledge or experience to back up their comments.
Don’t agree? Ok, go on then – put your hand up for a job, or a contract!
Changing attitudes and organisational culture in groups and teams is infinitely harder, and certainly not a quick fix….
Without keyboard warriors, comments sections would be empty. They serve a purpose.
As does toilet paper, MacBog!
Three years ago the organisational culture of this club took us to a narrow defeat in the Pro 14 final. What’s changed? Danny Wilson, poor leadership, poor coaching and a real bad organisational fit between the SRU and the pro teams. That bad fit between the SRU and the teams was there in 2019. Wilson wasn’t….the man is disconnected from the reality of the situation he’s led the club into, but we seem to stumble on….surely it’s time to recognise that this man hasn’t got the necessary credentials to coach at Warriors. I’m not questioning his technical ability, as I’m sure he’s totally badged up. I am questioning his leadership, the culture HE brought and his playing patterns. They stink.
Fascinating comment.
Just as you have your opinion other people have theirs. Which are just as valid as yours.
Following the logic of your contribution, all journalists should cease their professional commentary on things like sport and politics and become politicians or sport coaches.
Many on here will attend Glasgow matches. Do they get to voice an opinion or do they have to apply to play or coach? They should just pay their ticket and shut up.
Can’t see your ideas catching on somehow.
Pathetic / hilarious, Mr Doom et al. All opinions welcome, except those that contradict the mood of the common herd….
Barely a constructive remark amongst all the hand-wringing, finger-pointing and whingeing!
So Ein thinks you can only comment if you want the job. That’s almost as laughable as Glasgow’s performance.
That was just embarrassing and what would even more embarrassing is not taking any decisive action now to stop a further decline. What’s worse than not being able to defend is not even trying to defend. Leinster are a fine side but Glasgow made them look like the Harlem Globetrotters.
When you look at the squad and then the result, you can’t ignore serious and substantial problems in the leadership of Glasgow. Internationals and Lions were in the starting lineup, but, from what has been described on these pages, it’s a challenge to describe what was offered on the pitch politely. It’s been abundantly clear for weeks Glasgow fans are disenchanted with what’s been on offer and, whilst some players can be faulted, it’s the general approach that’s clearly failing. Losing by 62 points must be the final nail in the coffin for the entire coaching team at Scotstoun and the rebuild has to get underway pronto.
Scottish Rugby needs to find a way of keeping their best players at home. For too many, whether they are home grown or imported, Glasgow and Edinburgh seem to be staging posts, proving grounds before they make their way to England or France.
In the past there may have been a logic to it. The argument would have been the English and French leagues are stronger, therefore the international players have a chance to further develop. But with the inclusion of the SA teams the URC is a stronger league now than the Prem.
Perhaps getting paid more money is something the players consider when thinking of a move?
So pay them more, then. The SRU is not short of money. Central contracts should be an option. This would take financial pressure off the two franchises.
Who do you think is paying for Glasgow and Edinburgh at the moment?
Your fix is we pay even more? Great plan.
what a strange exchange.
Players of course consider how much more they might make if they move. Quite right too.
some suggest we follow the Irish model. Fine. The Irish model is to keep ALL their top players in Ireland – so they can look after them, manage their game time and down time in away they cannot of they play elsewhere. They do that by saying no play in Ireland no play for Ireland, unless your name is Sexton; and by paying much more. The Leinster player budget dwarfs Glasgow’s and Edinburgh’s. As do Munster’s and Ulster’s.
I don’t think we can pay as high as Leinster, nor can we keep all our players in Scotland and only cap those playing in Scotland.
And we won’t perform at national level if all our top players are workhorses elsewhere
It’s not just the total and utter humiliation and manner of the defeat it’s the fact that other teams will have seen this and be licking their lips at the prospect of playing against this ill motivated, ill disciplined, ill prepared, ill coached rabble. The only way for Glasgow Warriors is a downwards spiral even if the coach, coaching team, has beens and no marks are removed tomorrow. It’s a tough long rebuilding job against a backdrop of tightening budgets both for the SRU, sponsors (in all honesty who would want to be associated with us after that) and supporters but it needs to start now.
Three years ago we were 3 points away from Leinster in the Pro 14 final and look at us now. It is shameful what had been allowed to happen to this club, absolutely shameful.
Totally agree with the general thread of this discussion. No shame in losing to this Leinster team away. But that was the poorest Warriors display I’ve ever seen. For a team with 12 internationals and 3 Lions in the starting line up to fold so completely is inexcusable.
I know Wilson had a rough start to his time as coach with COVID and all. And money hasn’t been exactly sloshing about since. But he’s had the time and players to make progress and we’re clearly headed backwards fast. It’s time to admit that Danny Wilson wasn’t a good fit for Glasgow and move on.
Edinburgh are not the finished article either, but there was night and day between how they battled to the end – even in the hopeless final few minutes – v Stormers and Warriors latest capitulation.
The humiliation of my mother coming back from the shops early and catching me tampering with myself as a teenager was nothing compared to how I felt yesterday evening as I stood in Queen Street Station wearing my Glasgow Warriors top. I felt absolutely crushed, ashamed and embarrassed to be associated with the club I have followed home and away for the last 12 years.
Just to be clear Malky, those were separate incidents, right?
It’s all ben said. Having played and watched rugby for decades I’m trying to think of a game where a professional team just gave up. Clearly the players want Wilson gone they are not fighting for the coach, for each other, or for the jersey. Wilson must go, as well as the rest of the coaching team and no second hand imports from the Scotland set up which is not much better. We need a serious look at who is available.
Where to from this humiliation? Question marks over not just Wilson but whole coaching staff – attack and defence coaches have not been impactful this season either. Some players simply not delivering, others clearly past their best – too many seemingly incapable of being consistently disciplined and most sadly an apparent absence of pride. I wonder if the imbalance of foreign imports/journeymen is part of the problem – in my opinion local players with a genuine connection are critical to fostering the pride in jersey that is required to produce a dogged fight to the very end, (e.g. Munster)I recognise the need for imports but Glasgow are guilty of too many questionable signings – again look to Irish provinces – fewer imports but much more selective/impactful – Dempsey the only recent signing that fits this category for Glasgow. Clearly disparity in budgets may be an issue but let’s stop wasting money on a scatter gun approach, save our powder to make fewer better signings whilst developing domestic players through game time. Developing domestic players takes
…time.
Plenty of ignominy to go round but the buck stops with the coach and the team failed to muster even the very basics you’d expect from a professional rugby team, organisation and endeavour.
The SRU need to be decisive and get rid of Wilson, no one can seriously believe he is the candidate to address this crisis. With two pro-teams we can’t afford to let one of them be so poorly run.
Just reflect on that score, 76-14 it’s almost a basketball score, and listen to Wilson’s interview on Radio Scotland last night , his total detachment from the catastrophe of the score and the teams performance was breathtaking. The season has been a rising crescendo of failure , Exeter , Cardiff, Scarlet’s and finally Leinster. I look at McFarland over at Ulster who managed to beat Leinster twice and are playing the kind of rugby we used to play, Wilson has to go. Some of our recruitment has been strange, a South African lock with a history of injury, who remembers Jordan Lenac at no 9 and Sean Kennedy also,and where is Fifita. We feel like dead men walking under Wilson, going through motions without any joy or aim. The final rub of salt in the wound yesterday was the Leinster player chasing down Dempsey and catching him and stopping the try, when it would have made little difference to the outcome.The Leinster guys looked at ease and were enjoying them selves, Glasgow looked like a team with problems and lack of direction. Next season is not going to change that with Wilson in charge.
Undoubtedly, Wilson has to go, but so should the other Wilson and Richie Gray. Both players have been virtual passengers of late. GRay, it would appear, is simply going through the motions!
Lets stop playing around with Scottish rugby . The SRU should concentrate on getting a model that is as close as possible to the Irish model which is clearly a successful one
It starts at the top….the Irish equivalent of Dodson earns a third of what Dodson does …which set of fans gets the best return on investment??
This was the most inept performance I have ever seen from a professional rugby team. I did not expect a win but expected a fight to the end not a capitulation. Wilson will rightly get stick for this but what about the players. This was a team largely made up of past and present Scotland Internationals – where was the fight and the pride to give your all for the jersey.
After the great start it makes the rest all the worse. Their first try when our maul defence evaporated and they walked over the line was shocking – it just got worse as the game went on. The defence was non existent in the backs at times where players seemed to stand still and allow Leinster to run their moves as if it was a training session. Far too passive. Thats our international centres playing and they looked like school boys. We put no pressure on them when they had the ball and even with XV on the park seemed to leave gaps everywhere. Too many woes to recall but I think their last try when they created a simple 2 on 1 on the blindside of a ruck about half way to give their winger a walk in summed it up. Totally disorganised defence and players posted missing all over the place. What do we actually practice at all these training sessions – we should have a well drilled defensive system not a shambles.
Leinster are a great side but not long ago we were giving them a decent game and were at least competitive. The players will have to live with this now till next season and this is not a good way to spend your summer.
Ross I don’t care how bad the players feel because I don’t think they care how bad I feel
David B ‘ another comment into the ether
I wonder where all the Let the professionals do their job guys are?
What happens when they don’t?
Dom. I’m VERY sure he got banned from giving his honest opinion on this site under a previous Identity, i’d assume this happened to anyone else with a similar thought process as well.
It is however time for Wilson to go, he is not a pro.
Honest opinion?
Personally I considered it close to trolling.
From what I’ve seen you need to be consistently obnoxious to get a ban from here.
Ross I don’t care how bad the players feel because I don’t think they care how bad I feel
Dom. I’m VERY sure he got banned from giving his honest opinion on this site under a previous Identity, i’d assume this happened to anyone else with a similar thought process as well.
It is however time for Wilson to go, he is not a pro.
You are wrong ‘AngryGala2’ – but seeing as your opinion is not offensive, deliberately untrue or unnecessarily vexatious, it has not been deleted.
It’s very simple.
If you don’t like our policy of deleting offensive, deliberately untrue and unnecessarily vexatious comments then you are, of course, entitled to boycott this site.
The team (on paper) is no bad but the performances are increasingly woeful, yes Leinster are a top team but that was embarrassing, the 3 inexplicable mistakes when Glasgow were 0-7 up was a manifestation of something wrong at Glasgow. 100% in agreement with Sam V and Pete D
I can only hope that the search for a replacement started sometime ago behind the scenes, but then again what coach would pick up the team the way it is currently performing? The inaction and poor choices over the last 24 months will now end up with poorer choices available for new management and also simply cost us more 💰 as well. That is how damaging that performance (and recent run of capitulations) can be.
So a message to big Al and the SRU “Whatever it takes..!” As any further delay will simply cost us all even more when we are in such a dismal humiliating spiral.
Get it sorted.
I’ll go first – Wilson has been a dead man walking since New Year. Please, put him and the Glasgow supporters out of their misery – give him his jotters, first thing on Monday morning – if not sooner.
Matt, your comments are understandable if a little predictable – apologies as that’s a generalisation and not aimed at you as someone was going to say it. While I do agree with you, isn’t it an over-simplification to heap the blame on the coach. Even with duff tactics and preparation, a team with several full internationalists should not “down tools”. The lack of professionalism (and, yet again, discipline) from the players is just as disappointing to say the least.
Agreed – but who is meant to hold the players to account yet continues to reward them with continual starts – a 70 pt loss versus our 2nd XV would have had more value.
Wilson and Gray have been passengers for much of the second half of this season. Both need to go!