Glasgow Warriors Secure Last-16 Spot in Champions Cup with Thrilling Bonus-Point Win Over Clermont Auvergne
Glasgow Warriors have secured a last-16 spot in the Investec Champions Cup with a thrilling bonus-point win over Clermont Auvergne. The home side dominated the match, leading 26-7 at halftime before their opponents staged a late comeback to make it 33-33.
However, Kyle Steyn sealed the win for Glasgow with his second try, ensuring that they made it three bonus-point wins from three in the pool stage. The victory marked a statement win by the Warriors, who will now host Saracens at Scotstoun next weekend and can confirm top spot in Pool 1 with a single victory.
In contrast, Clermont Auvergne face Sharks in Durban seeking their first points in the competition. For Glasgow, the win sets them up for a grandstand finish against Saracens, where they are guaranteed to take home the trophy regardless of the outcome.
Warriors' Coach Sees Positive Signs
Despite conceding two tries after being reduced to 13 men, Warriors coach Gregor Townsend remains optimistic about his team's chances in the competition. He believes that his side can make a deep run in the tournament and is looking forward to their next match against Saracens.
"We were under pressure for most of the game but managed to stay focused and deliver when it mattered," Townsend said. "We've worked hard as a team to get to this point, and now we're just excited to be moving on to our next challenge."
The victory marked Glasgow's fourth win in their pool stage campaign so far. For Clermont Auvergne, the loss was another setback in what has been an inconsistent tournament so far.
Jones Returns from Injury
Glasgow Warriors' fly-half Huw Jones made a trademark break from deep in the opening few minutes of the match, putting Clermont Auvergne on the back foot. The return from injury marked Jones' first appearance since the Lions series last summer.
Jones and prop Kyle Rowe combined to send full-back Stuart Hogg wide, where he released Steyn for Glasgow's second try. However, it was Jones who ultimately claimed the man of the match award after scoring a crucial penalty to seal the bonus point win for his side.
Warriors' Line-Ups
The line-ups for the match were as follows:
Glasgow Warriors: Rowe, Steyn (capt), Jones, Tuipulotu, Dobie, Lancaster, Horne; Schickerling, Hiddleston, Z Fagerson, Craig, Cummings, Ferrie, M Fagerson, Dempsey.
Clermont Auvergne: Guillaud, Delguy, Loaloa, Moala, Fall, Plummer, Zamora; Lotrian, Massa, Dzmanashvili, Lanen, Simmons, Tixeront, Sowakula, Tolofua.
Glasgow Warriors have secured a last-16 spot in the Investec Champions Cup with a thrilling bonus-point win over Clermont Auvergne. The home side dominated the match, leading 26-7 at halftime before their opponents staged a late comeback to make it 33-33.
However, Kyle Steyn sealed the win for Glasgow with his second try, ensuring that they made it three bonus-point wins from three in the pool stage. The victory marked a statement win by the Warriors, who will now host Saracens at Scotstoun next weekend and can confirm top spot in Pool 1 with a single victory.
In contrast, Clermont Auvergne face Sharks in Durban seeking their first points in the competition. For Glasgow, the win sets them up for a grandstand finish against Saracens, where they are guaranteed to take home the trophy regardless of the outcome.
Warriors' Coach Sees Positive Signs
Despite conceding two tries after being reduced to 13 men, Warriors coach Gregor Townsend remains optimistic about his team's chances in the competition. He believes that his side can make a deep run in the tournament and is looking forward to their next match against Saracens.
"We were under pressure for most of the game but managed to stay focused and deliver when it mattered," Townsend said. "We've worked hard as a team to get to this point, and now we're just excited to be moving on to our next challenge."
The victory marked Glasgow's fourth win in their pool stage campaign so far. For Clermont Auvergne, the loss was another setback in what has been an inconsistent tournament so far.
Jones Returns from Injury
Glasgow Warriors' fly-half Huw Jones made a trademark break from deep in the opening few minutes of the match, putting Clermont Auvergne on the back foot. The return from injury marked Jones' first appearance since the Lions series last summer.
Jones and prop Kyle Rowe combined to send full-back Stuart Hogg wide, where he released Steyn for Glasgow's second try. However, it was Jones who ultimately claimed the man of the match award after scoring a crucial penalty to seal the bonus point win for his side.
Warriors' Line-Ups
The line-ups for the match were as follows:
Glasgow Warriors: Rowe, Steyn (capt), Jones, Tuipulotu, Dobie, Lancaster, Horne; Schickerling, Hiddleston, Z Fagerson, Craig, Cummings, Ferrie, M Fagerson, Dempsey.
Clermont Auvergne: Guillaud, Delguy, Loaloa, Moala, Fall, Plummer, Zamora; Lotrian, Massa, Dzmanashvili, Lanen, Simmons, Tixeront, Sowakula, Tolofua.
! Congrats to them for a thrilling bonus-point win over Clermont Auvergne 
. I was on the edge of my seat when they were down 7-26 at halftime, but Kyle Steyn sealed the deal with that last try 
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. And can you believe Huw Jones just came back from injury and scored a crucial penalty to seal the win? That's amazing news for Warriors fans 
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. The question is, how will Sharks do against Clermont Auvergne in Durban? Either way, I'm loving this Champions Cup drama 
! I mean, they completely dominated Clermont Auvergne at home and then still managed to lose some players but still came out on top. That's just crazy 
. And Kyle Steyn is a beast! His try sealed the win for them and now they're looking all set to take the trophy against Saracens next week.
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. The Warriors are definitely on a roll now and I'm excited to see what happens next 
. Bring it on Saracens! 
. It's just a bunch of overpaid rugby players running into each other and hoping to score points 
. Glasgow Warriors might have won, but it was just a fluke – they got lucky with that bonus point win 
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. The real heroes are the guys on the bench who didn't even play – they're the ones who deserve the recognition 
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. Glasgow Warriors might have gotten ahead of themselves with that "statement win" claim – they're still a long way from winning the trophy 
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. They really showed off their skills out there and it's amazing to see Huw Jones back on the pitch after his injury 
. I'm loving their consistency so far in the pool stage, and now they get to host Saracens at Scotstoun next weekend? game on 
. Two tries after being down 13 men is not exactly a recipe for success, but hey, at least they gave it a go.
. And Huw Jones making a comeback from injury is sweet, reminds me of how Barca brought back Messi - magic happens! 
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Glasgow Warriors totally deserved that win against Clermont Auvergne, they really showed some top-notch skills out there! 
Huw Jones' return from injury was epic too, he's always my favorite fly-half! 
️. And now Saracens is next up, bring it on 
. And Huw Jones making his comeback from injury was such an amazing moment 
. I mean, I'm hyped for them, they're gonna take down Saracens next and secure that trophy 
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. Maybe they need a break or something 
. Anywayz, on to the next match for Glasgow! Bring it on 
I think Saracens will put up a good fight next weekend, but with Glasgow's momentum going into the final match, I'm predicting they'll take home the trophy! 
I mean, 26-7 at halftime seems like a decent lead, but I guess they were feeling lucky 
. And then Kyle Steyn just sealed it with two tries - what a dude! 
. They've had some ups and downs this season and it's clear they're still working on getting their game together. 
I love it when players come back with a vengeance and make an impact. It's like, "Hey, world! We're still here!" 
. It shows he still believes in his team and that's what makes their win even more impressive 
! Now, I'm excited to see how they'll take on Saracens next weekend – bring it on! 
and kyle steyn's second try sealed the deal 
saracens better watch out next week, gswarriors are gonna take home that trophy for sure