Glasgow Warriors claim bonus‑point win in emotional Champions Cup clash with Sale
Glasgow Warriors pulled away from Sale Sharks to record a commanding 47‑15 bonus‑point victory in the Investec Champions Cup at CorpAcq Stadium, a match tinged with grief after the sudden death of former Sale lock Hyron Andrews.
A minute’s silence was observed before kick‑off as players and fans remembered the 31‑year‑old, who had died on Friday at the Johannesburg Lions’ team hotel before their Champions Cup game in La Rochelle. Andrews had been a regular feature for Sale last season.
The game began brightly for the hosts, with Ben Curry breaking from a maul and sprinting down the field, followed by Arron Reed finishing a wide move. Sale’s early lead was bolstered by a penalty from George Ford, but a penalty try awarded for a maul infringement saw Gus Warr sin‑binned, and Tom Roebuck later joined him after a trip on Warriors captain Kyle Steyn.
Glasgow’s momentum shifted when Rory Darge knocked the ball on, presenting an opportunity that Steyn seized, sprinting down the wing to score. Scotland’s Jamie Dobie added a try to restore the visitors’ lead, and the Warriors continued to pile on points. Alex Craig powered over from close range, while Rekeiti Ma’asi‑White crossed after sustained pressure. A slick one‑handed offload from Joe Carpenter set up Reed, who responded with another try. Replacement Ollie Smith and Ottavio Tuipulotu also crossed the line, securing the extra bonus point awarded to teams that score three more tries than their opponents.
Sale’s scoring came from tries by Ben Curry, a double by Arron Reed and Rekeiti Ma’asi‑White, with George Ford converting twice and adding a penalty. Glasgow’s tally featured a penalty try, plus scores from Kyle Steyn, Jamie Dobie, Alex Craig, Rory Darge, Ollie Smith and Ottavio Tuipulotu, with conversions from Ross Horne (four) and Sam Lancaster.
In post‑match comments, Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about Andrews’ passing: “I am really impressed with how the lads have come together, looked after each other and got tighter in the trauma of it. It shows the strength of the squad and the depth of the culture. Hyron was underrated, worked hard, made Manchester his second home and left with many good mates. It’s still raw to process, especially for his young boys, and we will support his family through this.”
Glasgow flanker Rory Darge also addressed the occasion, noting the quality of the opposition: “Sale are a really good side, especially their pack. That was a challenge for us, and I think we did well at the set‑piece. We’ll enjoy this win, knowing how tough Sale are to beat here.”
Glasgow, once tipped as tournament favourites after a perfect pool stage of bonus‑point victories last season, were knocked out by Toulon in the quarter‑finals at Scotstoun. The Warriors will now host Pau in December, while Sale travel to Dublin to face Leinster.
**Line‑ups**
*Sale Sharks*: Joe Carpenter; Tom Roebuck, Marchant, Rekeiti Ma’asi‑White, Arron Reed; George Ford, Gus Warr; Sam Smith, Ben Cowan‑Dickie, James Francis, Sam Van Rhyn (c), Ben Bamber, Tom Lawes, Ben Curry, Sam Canakaivata. Replacements: Jibulu, McIntyre, Opoku‑Fordjour, Tshiunza, Tom Curry, Hanson, Lozowski, Loganimasi.
*Glasgow Warriors*: Ryan Rowe; Kyle Steyn (c), Sam McDowall, Ottavio Tuipulotu, Jamie Dobie; Sam Lancaster, Ross Horne; Finn Russell, Stephen McBeth, Billy Fagerson, Alex Craig, Cameron Cummings, Jack Ferrie, Rory Darge, Tiaan van der Merwe. Replacements: Ottavio Tuipulotu, Schickerling, Talakai, Oguntibeju, Brown, Miller, Reidy, Smith.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales) with assistants Gareth Newman and Lucas Yendle, and TMO Ben Whitehouse.