URC playoff ties confirmed: Ulster to face Connacht 

Despite defeat in Glasgow, Connacht are assured of Champions Cup rugby next season provided neither Glasgow or Benetton win this season’s Challenge Cup.

Glasgow Warriors’ Sam Johnson and John Porch of Connacht

URC: Glasgow Warriors 29 Connacht 27 

Connacht, having secured at least seventh place in the table earlier in the day when Munster held the Sharks to a draw, were unable to keep up their winning run in Scotstoun.

In the process their hopes of winning seven league games in a row for the first time ever also disappeared.

They will now face a quarter-final trip away to Ulster in a couple of weeks and are assured of Champions Cup rugby next season provided neither Glasgow or Benetton win this season’s Challenge Cup.

Connacht can do nothing about that now other than hope that neither get through next weekend’s semi-finals against Scarlets and Toulon But they were always in contention against a Glasgow side who were unable to improve on fourth in the table before they head to play Scarlets in the Challenge Cup semi-final next weekend.

Glasgow made a brilliant start with flanker Rory Darge putting his full-back Huw Jones over for the opening try just 50 seconds after the start, with Tom Jordan adding the conversion.

But Connacht were not rattled and they hit back with a superb scrum winning a penalty try after six minutes.

Glasgow hit back with out-half Jordan juggling the ball as he raced through to score after 17 minutes.

Jack Carty pulled back a penalty before a good drive finished with Cian Prendergast getting over ten minutes from the break, withg Carty converting to lead by 17-14.

Glasgow hit back for scrum-half Ali Price to score seven minutes from the break as they turned around leading by 19-17.

Replacement hooker Johnny Matthews extended that lead with a drive off a lineout after 62 minutes, with George Horne converting to make it 26-17.

Cary cut the gap with a penalty, which Horne cancelled, but a try from impressive replacement Shamus Hurley-Langton five minutes from time, which Carty converted, got the gap down to two.

Connacht had a penalty from inside halfway on the right after a great carry from replacement full-back Shane Jennings, but after going to touch they were turned over in the maul and the game was gone.

Scorers: Glasgow: Tries: H Jones, T Jordan, A Price, J Matthews. Cons: T Jordan (2), G Horne. Pen: Jordan.

Connacht: Tries: C Prendergast, S Hurley-Langton, penalty try. Cons: J Carty (2). Pens: Carty (2).

GLASGOW WARRIORS: H Jones (D Miotti 37); J Dobie (G Horne 11), S McDowall (c), S Johnson, C Forbes; T Jordan, A Price; A Dell (J Bhatti 45), F Brown (J Matthews 46), L Sordoni (M Fagerson 38); S Cummings, R Gray (JP du Preez 51); R Darge, S Vailanu, J Dempsey. 

Replacements: J Matthews, J Bhatti, Z Fagerson, JP du Preez, L Bean, M Fagerson, G Horne, D Miotti.

CONNACHT: T O’Halloran (S Jennings 69); J Porch, T Farrell (T Daly 59), C Forde, B Ralston; J Carty (c), C Blade (K Marmion 54); D Buckley (P Dooley 40), D Tierney-Martin (E de Buitléar 50), F Bealham (S Illo 40); O Dowling (D Murray 54), N Murray; J Murphy, C Oliver, C Prendergast (S Hurley-Langton 40).

Replacements: E de Buitléar, P Dooley, S Illo, D Murray, S Hurley-Langton, K Marmion, T Daly, S Jennings.

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy).

Quarter-Final Match-Ups 

QF1: Leinster (1) v Cell C Sharks (8) 

QF2: Ulster (2) v Connacht (7) 

QF3: DHL Stormers (3) v Vodacom Bulls (6) 

QF4: Glasgow Warriors (4) v Munster (5)