Glasgow Warriors 24 Connacht 3

Glasgow Warriors secured their place in the RaboDirect Pro12 play-offs with a 24-3 triumph over Connacht at Firhill.

The Warriors entered the match in pole position for the final spot in the play-offs. Four points ahead of the Scarlets and up against a team in the bottom half, it was in their own hands. And they opened up an 11-3 advantage at the interval through two Duncan Weir penalties and DTH van der Merwe's try, with Miah Nikora scoring a penalty for the Irish province. Successive penalties from Weir eased the pressure before John Barclay rounded off an efficient performance, and they now prepare to go to Leinster in the semi-finals. The hosts started off nervously. Although Weir kicked them into an early lead, Nikora responded for the visitors with a penalty. Glasgow's stand-off then added a second three-pointer before they crossed the whitewash for the opening try. Van der Merwe has been out for most of this campaign through injury, but last season's top try-scorer was on hand here to scamper over. Weir edged them closer to the play-offs with a further penalty early in the second half, but the encounter continued to be tight and tense. However, the Warriors' fly-half was relieving the pressure with some fine place kicking, and another three-pointer took them 14 points clear. It was the cushion they needed to seize control of proceedings and, after Paul O'Donohoe was sin-binned, Barclay touched down, Ruaridh Jackson converting. The hosts' number eight was yellow carded late on, but they held out for a defining victory.