Warriors run riot

Glasgow 23 Edinburgh 14

Scotland’s new interim head coach, Scott Johnson, watched on for the first of a festive double header which effectively acts as a national trial, but it was a Canadian who made the early impression with DTH van der Merwe scoring two tries, either side of a Robert Harley score, as Glasgow raced into a 17-0 lead.

Two Greig Laidlaw penalties and a Piers Francis try reduced the deficit to six points as Edinburgh rallied, but replacement fly-half Duncan Weir kicked two penalties to render a third from Laidlaw irrelevant.

Meanwhile the Scarlets consolidated second place in the RaboDirect Pro12 table with a seventh consecutive victory, 9-6, over the hapless Blues.

Aled Thomas kicked three first-half penalties as the Scarlets led 9-3 at the interval, Ryhs Patchell slotting over the Blues’ points.

Patchell added a second penalty just before the hour mark in an error-strewn encounter.

Glasgow scorers: Tries: van der Merwe 2, Harley. Cons: Horne. Pens: Weir 2.

GLASGOW: Murchie, Maitland, S. Lamont, Horne, van der Merwe, Jackson, Matawalu, Grant, MacArthur, Low, Kellock, Swinson, Harley, Fusaro, Wilson.

Replacements: Weir for Jackson (62), Pyrgos for Matawalu (62), Hall for MacArthur (63), Eddie for Fusaro (23).

Edinburgh scorers: Tries: Francis. Pens: Laidlaw 3.

EDINBURGH: Tonks, Jones, Scott, King, T. Visser, Francis, Laidlaw, Yapp, Ford, Nel, Gilchrist, van der Westhuizen, Denton, Grant, McInally.

Replacements: Hislop for Yapp (79), Titterrell for Ford (10), Cox for van der Westhuizen (16).

Referee: Jerome Garces (France).