Glasgow climbed into second place in the RaboDirect PRO12 with a thumping 37-6 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday night.
Despite a number of the hosts' top players being on Scotland duty ahead of the clash with the All Blacks, Glasgow put on a confident display and a potential star of the future was born in the shape of Fijian scrum-half Niko Matawalu, making his debut.
Well controlled by No.10 Scott Wight, Glasgow were in control at half-time with a 20-6 lead thanks to tries from Pete Murchie and Gordon Reid. Glasgow continued in the driving seat and touched down three more times in the second half through Tom Ryder and a Tommy Seymour brace, with Wight converting the last. It was yet another sad night for the Dragons, who remain second bottom after mustering nothing more than a brace of Tom Prydie penalties.
Looking very assured from the kick-off, Glasgow took the lead inside just five minutes with Wight striking home a long penalty. After sixteen minutes the first try arrived. Dragons' Lewis Robling messed up a chance to clear allowing fullback Murchie to come into the line and sidefoot the ball through to touch down himself. Wight converted.
Eight minutes later Warriors had a score chalked off as the final pass to Josh Strauss was called forward. However in the 29th minute, 19 stone loose-head prop Reid tore the ball from a ruck - cleverly set up by Wight's change of direction - and galloped over 20 metres for the second try. Once again Wight was on hand with the extras.
Dragons never threatened the home line but two penalties were successfully negotiated by Prydie, sandwiching Wight's second, and Glasgow went in leading 20-6 at the pause. Straight into gear from the restart, Glasgow produced early pressure ending in an unconverted try for busy lock Ryder.
The bonus point was assured in the 65th minute as wing Seymour got on the end of a move that included a fine dart and outrageous pass from man-of-the-match Matawalu. Seymour grabbed a second try when his kick ahead bounced back fortuitously from a post and Wight converted.