Five things we learned as Glasgow end Cardiff's unbeaten start

Kyle Rowe and Tom Jordan both scored twice, while the latter added four conversions to finish with a personal haul 18 points from a topsy-turvy contest in the Welsh capital.

Jamie Dobie, Huw Jones, Matt Fagerson and player of the match Sione Tuipulotu also crossed for the Warriors. 

Glasgow spurned a chance inside the opening minute when Cardiff number eight Alun Lawrence spilled the kick-off, but Aled Davies ransacked opposite number Jamie Dobie at the base of the resulting scrum as the hosts escaped danger. 

But the Warriors didn’t pass up their second chance, Dobie breaking through before stepping Callum Sheedy to score. Tom Jordan’s extras ensured Glasgow were off to a flying start.  

Cardiff enjoyed four entries into the Glasgow 22 after the opener and were initially denied by two excellent turnovers and the bouncing ball after Sheedy’s cross-kick.

But the hosts were rewarded when Dan Thomas shoved over Jamie Dobie as he attempted to kick clear and touched the ball down for the hosts’ first score. Sheedy levelled the game with the conversion. 

The home side took the lead on 19 minutes, capitalising on a dominant scrum to put Wales fullback Cameron Winnett over.  

But they handed the initiative back to the Warriors, failing to clear in the requisite five seconds, and from the scrum, Sione Tuipulotu powered into the midfield before Kyle Rowe slalomed through some suspect defending.  

Jordan missed the conversion, but was then at the heart of a purple patch as the champions ran in three tries inside 10 minutes to take the game away from Cardiff. First he intercepted before running 60 metres to score, then Tuipulotu charged through more suspect defending to secure the bonus point before a sumptuous Jordan offload put Huw Jones away for a fifth try just before the break.  

Cardiff made wholesale changes at the break and got back into the game with two tries in the third quarter, replacement prop Bryan Byrne crossing from close range, before Mackenzie Martin went over a minute after his introduction, as the hosts were forced into uncontested scrums, and down to 14 men, with injuries ravaging their front row.  

Tinus de Beer cut the gap to four points with a penalty on the hour, but Glasgow capitalised on the numerical advantage as Matt Fagerson drove over for his second try in two weeks to give the Warriors breathing space. 

But not for long as Ben Donnell powered over from a maul, only for his score to be cancelled out by Rowe's second following a terrific break by Jack Dempsey as Glasgow held on to secure maximum points. 

Here are five things we learned from a thrilling contest at Cardiff Arms Park.

Glasgow blitz key to victory

Glasgow led 33-12 at half-time without having played too much rugby in the opening 40 minutes. They took advantage of some poor defending - Sione Tuipulotu bulldozed his way through on more than one occasion - and broken-field situations to rack up an unassailable half-time lead.  

Tom Jordan showing international quality 

Franco Smith said during the week he felt Tom Jordan, who qualifies for Scotland next month, had something to offer the national team. The New Zealand-born fly-half backed up those words from his coach with an outstanding performance in the Welsh capital.  

He showed his intelligence to pick off Sheedy’s pass for his own try, while the offload for Jones’ score was sensational under pressure. He could be a real asset to Scotland.  

Errors costly for the home side 

Cardiff’s defensive lapse towards the end of the first half proved costly in the end as Glasgow’s three tries in quick succession gave the home side too big a lead to chase down in the second half.  

The hosts battled valiantly in the third quarter to get back into contention but were left counting the cost of their first-half errors.  

Not a night for defence coaches

Franco Smith said this week he felt Cardiff could be one of the URC dark horses this season, and they pushed the Warriors all the way here.

If Glasgow looked comfortable without the ball for the majority of the first half, they were anything but in the second 40 minutes as the home side roared back into contention, before the Warriors' late flurry made the result safe. 

Cardiff changes made a huge difference

The home side made wholesale changes at the break as they attempted to overhaul a 21-point deficit at the break, and their new half-back pairing of Ellis Bevan and Tinus de Beer hauled the hosts back into contention. 

They look much-improved this season and in the end, will be disappointed to come away with only one point.

Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Mason Grady, Rey Lee-Lo (Hamer-Webb 31-40), Ben Thomas, Harri Millard (Hamer-Webb 63); Callum Sheedy (de Beer 40), Aled Davies (Bevan 40); Corey Domachowski (Byrne 40), Liam Belcher [captain] (Lloyd 40, Belcher 48, Keiron Assiratti (Litterick 40), Josh McNally (Thornton 65), Teddy Williams, Ben Donnell, Dan Thomas (Martin 65), Alun Lawrence. 

Tries: Thomas (10), Winnett (19), Byrne (45), Martin (53), Donnell (68)

Conversions: Sheedy (12), de Beer (47, 54, 69)

Penalties: de Beer (60) 

Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay, Kyle Rowe, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu [captain] (Weir 70), Facundo Cordero (Afshar 60), Tom Jordan, Jamie Dobie; Rory Sutherland (Bhatti 48), Johnny Matthews (Hiddleston 60), Sam Talakai (Schickerling 48), Alex Samuel (Gray 48), Scott Cummings (Williamson 70), Gregor Brown (Ferrie 56), Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey 

Tries: Dobie (6), Rowe (22, 71), Jordan (29, 75), Tuipulotu (35), Jones (38), Fagerson (64)

Conversions: Jordan (7, 30, 36, 39), Weir (72, 75)

Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARU) 

Player of the Match: Sione Tuipulotu