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Adam Hastings leaves field at halftime as Glasgow notch first URC win
By PA
Glasgow proved too strong for an indisciplined Benetton as they landed the first win of their United Rugby Championship title defence with a 41-10 home victory.
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An even contest turned on the red card shown to Scott Scrafton just before half-time, with the Italians also losing two players to yellow cards in the second period.
The home side capitalised to ease to a bonus-point victory, running in six tries.
Glasgow got off to an ideal start with a try inside the opening six minutes.
A line-out was worked through hands to Josh McKay, who burst forward before supplying Kyle Rowe to feed Kyle Steyn to score. Adam Hastings converted.
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Benetton were forced into an early change when Onisi Ratagve limped off to be replaced by Paolo Odogwu. The substitute was involved immediately as he held off the challenge of Rowe to dot down in the corner.
The TMO had a look and decided that the grounding had been fair, but the officials then had their attention drawn to a forward pass earlier in the move and disallowed the try.
The home side got back on the front foot and soon doubled their advantage.
Sione Tuipulotu’s burst and spin allowed him to wriggle through before supplying the pass for Matt Fagerson to score. Hastings again added the extras.
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Benetton reduced the deficit when the maul powered Mirco Spagnolo over the line, Jacob Umaga converting.
Glasgow then had a disallowed try of their own. Tom Jordan did brilliantly to slap a bouncing ball into the hands of Tuipulotu, who eased away to score. The TMO, though, deemed the pass to have been forward.
Benetton were reduced to 14 men just before half-time. Scrafton went in late and high on Hastings with the shoulder and was sent off.
Umaga kicked a penalty early in the second half to reduce the deficit to four points before Glasgow replied with two quickfire tries.
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The first owed much to Jordan’s alertness as he pounced on poor Benetton handling to tee up Rory Darge to score under the posts.
Steyn then supplied the pass for Jamie Dobie to weave his way to the line. Duncan Weir, a half-time replacement for Hastings, converted both.
Benetton’s night got worse when Odogwu was shown a yellow card for catching Steyn and the Warriors captain soon capitalised with his side’s fifth try.
Riccardo Favretto joined his team-mate in the sin-bin as Benetton went down temporarily to 12 players, with Euan Ferrie claiming Glasgow’s sixth score at the death.
