Match Report: Zebre Parma v Glasgow Warriors

Glasgow Warriors overcame a determined Zebre Parma outfit to secure a hard-fought 14-6 victory this evening, in a result that also secures a home quarter-final in the BKT United Rugby Championship playoffs.

Second-half tries from Josh McKay – in a Player of the Match-winning performance – and Stafford McDowall earned the points for the Warriors, with a physical defensive shift holding off their hosts.

On a perfect evening for rugby in northern Italy, the home side was the first to trouble the scorers, Giacomo da Re making no mistake with a penalty directly in front of the uprights to give his side a 3-0 lead with eight minutes gone.

An attritional opening quarter passed without further scoring, as both sides sought the early breakthrough. Jamie Dobie came the closest to providing the catalyst, the scrum-half’s sniping break from 35 metres almost sending Kyle Steyn under the posts were it not for some last-ditch scramble defence.

The Warriors then found themselves the beneficiary of a let-off from the home side with 22 minutes on the clock, to the dismay of the home support. Fetulia Paea’s break from turnover ball allowed Simone Gesi to race into the Glasgow 22, only for Giovanni Licata to spill the scoring pass in the act of grounding the ball.

Undeterred, the hosts once more came within a fingertip of scoring just five minutes later, with only a super try-saving tackle from Jare Oguntibeju denying Scott Gregory the opening try of the evening. Instead, Zebre would have to content themselves with a second penalty from da Re, extending their lead to 6-0 as the half-hour mark ticked by.

That would remain the score until the half-time interval, though not for the want of effort from Franco Smith’s men. Phase after phase of physicality in the Zebre 22 stretched the home side’s defence, yet the men from Parma would hold firm with the clock in the red.

Knowing that a swift score was crucial, the Warriors wasted no time setting out their stall in the second stanza. Their endeavour was rewarded just three minutes after the restart, as – with Matteo Canali in the sin-bin for head contact on Sebastian Cancelliere – Dobie’s looping pass saw McKay collect at full pace to dive over in the corner. Tom Jordan’s conversion found its target from the touchline, and the Warriors led for the first time in the match.

Glasgow were keen to make their momentum count, doing so in power-packed fashion with 51 minutes played. Steyn’s initial incision was backed up by a thunderous charge from Sam Talakai, and with the Zebre defence on the back foot, there was no stopping McDowall as the centre crashed over under the posts. Jordan added the extras, giving his side a 14-6 advantage.

The home side were in no mood to go quietly, and urged on by a vocal home support, the momentum swung back the way of the men in dark blue. Time and again, however, the Glasgow defence – led by the trio of Alex Samuel, Max Williamson and Euan Ferrie in the boiler room – fronted up to deny the Italian outfit and briefly silence the Parma crowd.

One final defensive stand in the face of a determined Zebre attack would ultimately seal the points for Smith’s men, and with it the confirmation of a home quarter-final in the BKT United Rugby Championship playoffs. Attentions now turn to next weekend’s final home match of the regular season, as a Grand Final rematch with the Vodacom Bulls awaits under the Friday night lights.