Poor discipline costly for Connacht in Glasgow defeat

URC: Glasgow Warriors 36 Connacht 19Connacht were the victims of some very inconsistent and at times downright poor officiating, but it doesn’t fully excuse the lack of discipline, which led to yellow cards for both Sam Illo and Josh Murphy, and the concession of four tries from lineout mauls.There were flashes of good rugby from the visitors and some fine individual displays, but Connacht just couldn’t get out of their own way for long enough. A brace of tries from Josh Ioane and one for Sean Jansen won’t offer much consolation.The province conceded 14 penalties against Benetton last week and within half an hour at Scotstoun had coughed up eight. Hooker Gregor Hiddleston and flanker Rory Darge were the beneficiaries of the maul dominance, grabbing a try apiece for the hosts, while scrumhalf George Horne added a conversion.READ MOREConnacht started superbly, winning the collisions and setting up camp in the Glasgow 22, but an inability to protect breakdown ball cost them penalty turnovers.Undaunted, the visitors continued to dominate. With Cian Prendergast, Bundee Aki, Illo and Shayne Bolton all breaking the gain-line, prompted by Ciarán Frawley, they eventually got the try they deserved through Jansen, converted by Frawley.From 7-0 up, discipline was an insurmountable obstacle to the province’s ambition, Illo receiving the first yellow card of the game after Connacht’s 12th penalty. While Glasgow’s maul set-up from the lineout was illegal, blocking off a contest, referee Ben Breakspear let it slide and Hiddleston drove over for a second try to give his side a 19-7 interval lead. Josh McKay grabbed the bonus point try two minutes after the restart with Connacht still a man down. Ioane scored a try to keep the visitor’s in contention, but Breakspear then ignored a head-on-face collision that saw Bolton depart with a jaw injury, before the fullback grabbed a second try after a superb team effort.At 26-19, Connacht dared to dream, but Murphy’s yellow, for a shoulder charge arguably less serious than the Bolton incident, proved costly.Replacement hooker Seb Stephen was driven over for his side’s fourth maul try, converted by Horne, and Lancaster then added a late penalty for 36-19.SCORING SEQUENCE – 16 MINS: Jansen try, Frawley con 0-7; 20: Hiddleston try 5-7; 33: Darge try, Horne con 12-7; 40+3: Hiddleston try, Horne con 19-7; Half-time 19-7; 43: McKay try, Horne con 26-7; 47: Ioane try, Frawley con 26-14; 59: Ioane try 26-19; 65: Stephen try, Horne con 33-19; 80+3: Lancaster pen 36-19GLASGOW: J McKay; J Dobie, O Smith, S Tuipulotu, F Watson; D Lancaster, G Horne; N McBeth, G Hiddleston, F Richardson; M Williamson, S Cummings; M Fagerson, R Darge, M Duncan. Replacements: G Brown for Fagerson (41 mins), J Oguntibeju for Williamson, S Stephen for Hiddleston, S Talakai for Richardson (all 56), P Schickerling for McBeth (56-80), C Reidy for Horne, B Kuenzle for Watson (both 70), A Miller for Duncan (76).Yellow card: Cummings (75 mins).CONNACHT: J Ioane; S Bolton, B Aki, C Forde, M Hansen; C Frawley, C Blade; B Bohan, E de Buitlear, S Illo; D Murray, N Murray; C Prendergast, P Boyle, S Jansen. Replacements: F Bealham for Bolton (45 mins), F van Wyk for Bohan, Bolton for Illo, M Victory for de Buitlear, S Hurley-Langton for Boyle (all 49), J Murphy for N Murray (52), Bolton for S Gilbert (53), C Reilly for Blade (56), S Naughton for Ioane (77).Yellow card: Illo (40+2 mins), Murphy (63).Referee: B Breakspear (Wales).