GLASGOW — Glasgow Warriors overpowered Connacht 36-19 at Scotstoun to claim a bonus-point victory and maintain their unbeaten start to the United Rugby Championship season. Four of the home side's five tries came from a dominant rolling maul as Warriors secured maximum points after last weekend's draw with Ulster at the same venue.
Connacht started on the front foot and led through number eight Sean Jansen, who found his way to the line after sustained early pressure in the home half. Glasgow hit back on their first meaningful foray into opposition territory when hooker Gregor Hiddleston touched down from a thundering line-out maul, before Rory Darge finished a second driving maul to put Warriors ahead. George Horne converted both to establish a five-point lead, and after prop Sam Illo was sin-binned for illegally halting another maul, Hiddleston drove over for his second try on the stroke of half-time to send Glasgow in 12 points clear.
If the first three tries were about power, the fourth was pure precision. Dan Lancaster's pinpoint cross-field kick found Jamie Dobie, who gathered and cushioned a grubber perfectly into the path of Josh McKay for the bonus-point try to make it 26-14. Connacht responded through Josh Ioane, who scored twice — his second in the corner making it a one-score game — to give the visitors hope, with Ciaran Frawley converting both.
Connacht's momentum was checked when replacement Josh Murphy was sin-binned for a high shot on Seb Stephen, and Glasgow punished them immediately with another rolling maul, finished by Stephen himself to restore breathing space. Lancaster added a straightforward late penalty to seal the 36-19 result, with Horne finishing with four conversions. The win keeps Glasgow unbeaten and underlines the potency of their maul, which repeatedly forced Connacht to concede territory and penalties at the set-piece.