Glasgow Warriors take 1-0 lead in 1872 Cup with 24-12 win over Edinburgh at Hampden

Glasgow Warriors moved ahead in the 1872 Cup with a 24-12 victory over Edinburgh at Hampden Park on Sunday, taking a 12-point cushion into the second leg. Four tries, three of them in a productive second half, gave Franco Smith’s side a bonus-point win and kept them well placed to defend the trophy for a fourth consecutive year. Smith even wore a pair of tartan trews for the occasion, a nod to the rivalry’s Scottish roots as Glasgow extended their momentum after last weekend’s dramatic Champions Cup win over Toulouse.

Glasgow started with intent, using quick ball and smart decisions to probe Edinburgh’s defense. A decisive moment came from Sione Tuipulotu’s sparkling vision, releasing Kyle Steyn into space and forcing Edinburgh to scramble. Yet the visitors held firm early, and it took ten minutes before Glasgow could break through. Matt Fagerson barged his way over from close range, and Adam Hastings landed the first of his conversions to give Glasgow a 7-0 advantage as territory and possession tilted in their favour. Edinburgh’s willingness to contest the breakdown was evident, but their attacking threat was limited in the opening exchanges.

Edinburgh finally found a spark as the half progressed. They manufactured a sustained attack from a lineout, grinding Glasgow’s defense back and engineering a score through Dylan Richardson. The try came just before the half-hour mark, and Cammy Scott’s successful conversion reduced Glasgow’s lead to 7-5. The opening period had been scrappy at times, with Glasgow forcing errors and Edinburgh competing at the breakdown, but the Samoan-born fluency that had underpinned Glasgow’s recent results was still missing at Hampden. By half-time Glasgow held a slender lead, having done enough to secure a favourable position but leaving themselves exposed to a period of renewed Edinburgh pressure after the break.

The second half began with Glasgow reasserting themselves and quickly pushing their advantage further. Within ten minutes of the restart Rory Darge powered over to extend the lead, and Hastings converted to make it 14-5. Glasgow then delivered a quickfire blow as Gregor Hiddleston crossed for their third try of the afternoon, though Hastings’s subsequent attempt to convert struck the upright and missed, leaving the score at 19-5.

Edinburgh did not roll over, but their attack remained blunt as Glasgow’s defense closed down opportunities and kept their tempo high. A promising surge from Ben Vellacott and a threatening run from Darryl Graham came to naught as Glasgow’s scrambling cover and solid contact at the breakdown repelled the danger. Duhan van der Merwe’s influence waned as the game progressed, and Edinburgh began to sense a way back as nine minutes remained.

Edinburgh finally found a way through again through Grant Gilchrist, finishing a forward-dominated move from a lineout and setting up a tense finish with Ross Thompson’s accurate kick making it 19-12. The game’s clarity of balance tilted momentarily back toward Edinburgh, but Glasgow had not finished. A late seizure of control saw replacement hooker Seb Stephen crash over to seal the bonus point and push the final score to 24-12.

Glasgow’s performance underlined why they are regarded as a serious threat for the URC title, and why they have become a benchmark in Scottish rugby. Rory Darge’s all-around display stood out in a game that demanded grit and clinical finishing, while Darge’s willingness to carry and create tempo helped keep Edinburgh on the back foot. Edinburgh, for their part, will look to their internationals and a sharper attacking plan to re-establish momentum in the return leg.

Attendance at Hampden was officially 21,093, a solid figure for a derby in a stadium that has seen its share of high-profile moments this season. The crowd’s energy reflected a fixture that, while not bursting with end-to-end action, delivered the kind of disciplined, tactical contest that can set the tone for a best-of-two Cup format. The smaller-than-last-season crowd numbers did little to obscure the significance of a win that gives Glasgow a strong platform heading into the second leg.

Part one is done for Glasgow, who again demonstrated that they can be clinical when it matters and that the squad depth is there to cope with the demands of a long season. Next week’s second leg will decide the 1872 Cup on aggregate, with Glasgow looking to secure the trophy once more and Edinburgh hoping to derail their rivals’ momentum. The result also keeps Glasgow’s championship-hunting narrative alive, as they chase silverware on multiple fronts while Edinburgh continue to seek consistency across the campaign.