Glasgow edge Newport to keep Pro 12 play-off hopes alive

Champions Glasgow kept themselves in the hunt for the Guinness Pro12 play-offs thanks to a nervy 18-15 victory against Newport Gwent Dragons.

The win sees the Warriors jump from eighth place to fifth, leapfrogging Munster, Ospreys and Edinburgh, thanks to a two-try success at Rodney Parade, their winning score coming late on through fly-half Duncan Weir.

The spirited Dragons, meanwhile, continue to languish in 10th with just four league victories to the European Rugby Challenge Cup quarter-finalists' name and only the Italian duo of Zebre and Treviso beneath them.

Glasgow headed into the game against the Welsh strugglers boosted by the presence of six players released from Six Nations duty by Scotland boss Vern Cotter.

Weir and back row forwards Rob Harley and Josh Strauss started in Newport instead of Rome while props Gordon Reid and Zander Fagerson and scrum-half Grayson Hart were among the replacements.

The Dragons leapt out of the blocks with Angus O'Brien booting them into an early lead only for Glasgow pivot Weir to respond in the 10th minute.

Two more three-pointers saw the Dragons go into a 9-3 lead with visiting lock Greg Peterson shown a yellow card for a second offence, in this case a body-check on O'Brien.

Weir and O'Brien traded penalties to make it 12-6 to the hosts on half an hour and the Dragons were nearly in for the game's first try through their driving lineout approaching the break only for the Scots' defence to hold resolute.

A missed Weir drop goal in the half's final play ensured the Dragons went into the break with a six point cushion.

But the visitng Warriors were in front for the first time just two minutes into the second half thanks to centre Alex Dunbar's powerful run on his comeback from a thigh injury, the Scotland hopeful's score converted by Weir for 13-12.

It was a lead that did not last long however with O'Brien's fifth effort making it 15-13 with 49 minutes on the clock.

Glasgow thought they were back in front on the hour when Reid went over by the posts only for referee Gary Conway to penalise him for having illegally picked the ball up whilst part of the ruck before crossing.

Their mood worsened when Weir missed a simple penalty with 16 minutes left, although Newport full-back Carl Meyer also missed wide with a long-range effort as the game approached the final stages.

However, Weir crossed for the decisive score with seven minutes left  to make it 18-15 after being given a simple run-in by fellow Scotland star Strauss, whose offload after a powerful charge down the right was given the all-clear by the TMO.