Unbeaten Toulouse win in Glasgow

Toulouse weathered the storm in Glasgow on Saturday to take a huge step to European Champions Cup quarter-final qualification with a suffocating 12-9 triumph at Scotstoun.

A try-less clash was eventually decided by four French penalties - all from the boot of Sebastien Bézy - to the Warriors' three as the hosts fell short in the final third for the second week running.

Bath's double-thumping of Montpellier in Rounds Three and Four, coupled with last Sunday's frustrating 19-11 reverse in Toulouse left Glasgow facing what was always marked on the Euro-calendar as a seminal match in their quest for continental honours with a little added pressure.

But the greatest flaw in their game of late, unacceptable at any level of rugby, is a failure to convert possession and field position into points. That crippling blight was exposed warts-and-all by a Toulouse rearguard effort spearheaded by Thierry Dusautoir and Yannick Nyanga - it is a worrying trend that must be arrested if Gregor Townsend's side are to progress in this ruthless new-look Europe.

This though was a poor yet engrossing affair, dominated by infringements and slack play - perhaps best attributed to the significance of the fixture and the pre-match squall that blustered overhead and made for a thoroughly soggy Scotstoun just prior to kick-off.

The early phases set the tone: disjointed and marred by penalties and inaccuracy, the only real chance coming Glasgow's way as Henry Pyrgos trickled a grubber into the corner with Tommy Seymour in hot pursuit, the ball beating the winger to the touchline.

Pyrgos' opposite number, Bézy, outstanding at Stade Ernest Wallon six days ago, opened the scoring after a scrappy Warriors lineout led to the hosts piling in off their feet at the breakdown.

Scotland's blue-eyed boy, Finn Russell levelled three minutes later, before a bruising high tackle from Gurthrö Steenkamp left Tim Swinson seeing stars and the home crowd seeing red. Wayne Barnes was satisfied it merited no more than a penalty.

Russell pushed a straightforward shot at the uprights minutes later when Jonny Gray was taken in the air, but Bézy made no mistake when offered a similar opportunity as the final quarter drew to a close.

Jean-Marc Doussain scuffed at a long-range effort as the half wore on, and when the French pivot was isolated leading to Yoann Maestri coming in at the side, it was Stuart Hogg's turn to get the driver out. Though kicking exceptionally from hand, Hogg's radar was wonky from the tee.

Glasgow pressed again as the half petered out, back-row-turned-centre Richie Vernon carrying well, but a combination of stout Toulouse defence - the monstrous scarlet forms infiltrating and disrupting the breakdown to great effect - and errors from Townsend's troops kept the scores at 3-6 at the break.

Russell added to the Warriors' frustration when he hooked a penalty well wide shortly after half-time, and Bézy extended the French lead to six on fifty minutes.

Glasgow spurned yet more possession in the Toulouse 22 after powerful carries from tireless second-row duo Jonny Gray and Tim Swinson. By contrast, when the visitors made similar inroads, they did so with greater potency, their progress halted by a Vernon infringement, and Bézy twisting the knife with his fourth penalty.

Duncan Weir, usurped last season by the emerging Russell, replaced the misfiring pivot, added a little more spark in attack, and brought Glasgow back to within a score with fifteen to minutes to play.

That crucial kick galvanised the Warriors, and roused the Scotstoun supporters that had been left a tad deflated by proceedings thus far.

The hosts made their way once more into the danger zone as the clock ticked past 70 minutes, this time winning a penalty as their driving maul was illegally pulled down. Rather than launch another assault on the whitewash with eight to play, Weir was deployed for the second time, his kick sailing home and cutting the gap to three.

A questionable call from captain Josh Strauss, perhaps, with the pressure telling at last on the visiting line, but not so questionable as Doussain's decision to kick possession away when two minutes of up-the-jumper stuff would have seen Toulouse home.

As it transpired, another quickfire spree of mistakes finally did for Glasgow, playing fast and loose behind the gainline on halfway, losing the ball, and almost allowing Vincent Clerc to slip away in the corner with the last play of the match.

The scorers:

For Glasgow:
Pens: Russell, Weir 2

For Toulouse:
Pens: Bezy 4

Glasgow: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Richie Vernon, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Tommy Seymour, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Josh Strauss (c) 7 Robert Harley, 6 Ryan Wilson, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Jon Welsh, 2 Pat MacArthur, 1 Ryan Grant
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Euan Murray, 19 Leone Nakarawa, 20 Niko Matawalu, 21 Duncan Weir, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Sean Lamont

Toulouse: 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Yann David, 12 Gaël Fickou, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 Jean-Marc Doussain, 9 Sébastien Bézy, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Thierry Dusautoir, 6 Yannick Nyanga (c), 5 Yoann Maestri, 4 Joe Tekori, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Vasil Kakovin, 18 Kisi Pulu, 19 Romain Millo-chluski, 20 Gregory Lamboley, 21 Luke McAlister, 22 Vicent Clerc, 23 Alexis Palisson

Venue: Scotstoun, Glasgow
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Matt Carley (England), Paul Dix (England)
Television match official: David Grashoff (England)

By Jamie Lyall