Glasgow breeze past Zebre to sit at URC summit

Defending champions Glasgow went back to the top of the BKT United Rugby Championship with a comfortable 33-3 win over Zebre at Scotstoun.

The Warriors may be ousted from the summit on Saturday when Leinster play Munster, but with three wins from four starts, they look like they could be in the running once again.

Zebre beat a second-string Warriors 31-0 in a pre-season friendly in Parma, and had an outstanding 42-33 win over Munster in URC round two at the end of last month.

But, after a lively start here in which they were unable to turn pressure into points, they never looked like causing real problems for the home team, who have now beaten them in all 23 of their competitive encounters.

Glasgow opened their account with their first foray into the opposition 22. Zebre were penalised at the breakdown, Adam Hastings sent the kick to touch and from the line-out maul Johnny Matthews crossed.

Hastings converted to open up a 7-0 lead – the first of four successful kicks out of five attempts by the fly-half.

The crowd had waited nearly quarter of an hour for the opening score, but the second came along just two minutes later.

An inspired passing move from midfield ended when Kyle Rowe was hauled down just short of the line, but Glasgow managed to recycle and Jamie Dobie touched down in the right corner.

Zebre opened their account near the half-hour mark through a penalty by stand-off Giacomo Da Re, but Glasgow soon scored their third try when Huw Jones forced his way over for a 21-3 half-time lead.

After the interval, Jones exploited some slack defending to cross for the bonus-point score. Grant Stewart, on at hooker for Matthews, claimed the fifth from another line-out maul.

Scott Cummings and George Horne also crossed in the second half, but both were chalked off for prior offences.

Zebre enjoyed a modest revival as the sting went out of the game in the last quarter, but were unable to add to their solitary penalty.