Glasgow Warriors kicked off their Champions Cup 2025/26 campaign with an impressive 26-21 away win over Sale Sharks, earning a crucial bonus point on the opening night of the tournament. The victory showcased Glasgow’s resilience, tactical execution, and ability to come from behind under challenging weather conditions.

Early Sale Surge

The match began in favor of Sale Sharks, who capitalized on a strong wind advantage to race into a 14-0 lead within the first 20 minutes. Early tries came from Ernst van Rhyn and teenage debutant Ollie Davies, who scored shortly after coming on as a substitute, showcasing his potential on the Champions Cup stage.

Sale’s early dominance, however, was interrupted by a first-half injury to centre Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, forcing coach Alex Sanderson to make early adjustments, with Davies slotting into fly-half and Rob du Preez moving to centre. The youngster’s immediate impact highlighted the depth of Sale’s squad but ultimately was not enough to secure a win.

Glasgow’s First-Half Fightback

Glasgow responded well to the early setback, focusing on set-piece dominance and forward power. Hooker Gregor Hiddleston scored the first Glasgow try from a well-executed line-out drive, while number eight Rory Darge added another try just before halftime. Adam Hastings converted both tries, reducing the deficit to 14-12 at the break.

Rory Darge later reflected on the first-half challenge:
“Last week I was talking about the importance of winning away in Europe. If you want to do well in this competition you have to do well away from home, so we are delighted with that.”

Second-Half Surge and Bonus Point

The second half saw Glasgow take control. Early in the period, poor play from Sale allowed Jack Dempsey to recover a loose ball and set up Kyle Steyn, who sprinted through a weak tackle to score. Glasgow’s momentum continued as Stafford McDowall scored his 100th club appearance try, running past Du Preez’s attempted tackle to secure the bonus point on 54 minutes.

Despite a late rally from Sale, including a try by Marius Louw and Du Preez’s conversion to make it 26-21, Glasgow held firm. Sale’s final line-out attempt failed, allowing Glasgow to maintain their lead and secure a valuable away victory.

Key Takeaways

• Glasgow Warriors’ resilience was critical, coming back from 14-0 down in difficult weather conditions.
• Bonus-point victory strengthens Glasgow’s position early in Pool One, which also features Toulouse, Saracens, and the Sharks (South Africa).
• Rory Darge, Kyle Steyn, and Stafford McDowall were standout performers, showcasing the team’s attacking depth.
• Sale Sharks will need to regroup ahead of their next fixture against Clermont, while Glasgow prepares to host six-time winners Toulouse.

Player Highlights

• Stafford McDowall: Scored the bonus-point try on his 100th club appearance.
• Kyle Steyn: Key try scorer, capitalizing on Sale’s defensive error.
• Rory Darge & Gregor Hiddleston: Crucial first-half tries that kept Glasgow in contention.

Upcoming Fixtures

• Glasgow Warriors: Home match vs Toulouse next week.
• Sale Sharks: Away match at Clermont next Saturday.