Glasgow Warriors got a key bonus point victory they needed over perennial Guinness PRO12 rivals Ospreys and relaunched their play-off campaign with a stunning second half display in front of a full house at Scotstoun.
New star wing Taiqele Naiyaravoro went over for the fourth try right on the final whistle to give the Warriors a full complement after they trailed at half-time, but they were totally dominant in the second half scoring three tries in all and forcing two yellow cards for the visitors.
Returning World Cup players Leone Nakarawa and Peter Horne starred for Glasgow, but it was the way they seized control of the game after half-time that impressed the most, when Sean Lamont’s first half try had still seen them trail at the break.
Two Ospreys ended in the bin for persistent offending and debut Scotstoun tries followed from Greg Peterson, Alex Allan and Naiyaravoro right at the death to finish off the Welshmen, who had most of their World Cup stars back on duty.
“There’s a lot which we can still improve, but in the second half it was very pleasing, because that was a big test for us today,” said head coach Gregor Townsend. “It’s going to be hard to reintroduce our international players but Peter Horne, Tommy Seymour and Leone were outstanding today, and have been great all week.
“I’ve been pretty pleased with that World Cup period but today was a good marker, the way we play when we play well puts the opposition under stress.”
Glasgow scored the only try of the first half on the only real threat by either team but a flurry of penalties against them allowed Dan Biggar to edge Ospreys into a narrow lead.
The Welsh side didn’t have a single possession inside the Warriors 22, botching a lineout throw on their only visit, but despite plenty of promising movement and off-loading Glasgow didn’t exactly create much either.
Eventually on the half hour the Warriors put together a well-drilled lineout drive that ate up 20 metres, and after they had several charges close to the visitors’ line a trademark Nakarawa off-load created just enough of a gap for Lamont to barge over at the corner.
That had Glasgow two points ahead with half-time looming but after Biggar uncharacteristically was off target, the Welsh stand-off booted another long chance just before the break after Glasgow were caught offside.
Weir and Biggar exchanged penalties at the start of the second half but eventually referee Fitzgibbon lost patience and yellow carded Ospreys centre Josh Matavesi for a cynical offence.
The Warriors immediately made the extra man count on 50 minutes with a punishing lineout drive to the line which ended with Peterson stretching out for his debut try, Weir converting.
Weir added a penalty after a clean break by Horne from his own 22, and the Scotland centre did it again almost immediately forcing a second yellow card as replacement Ryan Bevington held back a Warrior support runner in full flight.
Glasgow eventually made the pressure tell when replacement prop Allan squeezed over despite tenacious Ospreys defence for an unconverted try.
Replacement Dan Baker scored a consolation from a flowing move by the Ospreys, but back came Glasgow in the dying moments for replacement Naiyaravoro to smash over for the bonus point score with the last play of the game.
Att: 6650
Glasgow: T Seymour; L Jones (T Naiyaravoro 57), R Vernon (S Johnson 76), P Horne, S Lamont; D Weir, M Blair (A Price 65): G Reid (A Allan 62), P MacArthur, S Puafisi (Z Fagerson 62); G Peterson, L Nakarawa (S Cummings 66); R Harley (capt), S Favaro (C Fusaro 55), R Wilson.
Ospreys: D Evans (S Davies 67); T Grabham, B John (J Spratt 68), J Matavesi, E Walker; D Biggar, B Leonard (T Habberfield 66); P James(R Bevington 55), S Baldwin (S Otten 71), A Jarvis (D Arhip 49); L Ashley (capt, A-W Jones 55), R Thornton; D Lydiate (D Baker 58), J Tipuric, J King.
Ref: P Fitzgibbon (IRFU)