GLASGOW ran through the Scarlets like a dose of salts to take a huge step towards home play-off qualification, perhaps appropriately as the home squad had been badly hit by the norovirus this week.

Glasgow stopped short of washing their hands after every scrum or ruck to avoid contamination, but victory with a magnificent seven tries was vitally important between the sides who started the weekend in third and fourth places in the Guinness Pro12.

Many of the home team appeared under the weather as the game wore on, 20 had missed training this week, but the match was won before they tailed off and both coaches were clear afterwards the illness had not affected the result – just the margin.

However that should not take away from a Glasgow performance that was clinical, inventive and incisive with outside-half Finn Russell the clear man of the match as he scored his side’s first 15 points to set the ball rolling and was a massive threat throughout.

“We had prepared really well and had a good feeling coming into the game,” said Glasgow head coach Gregor Townsend, who also confirmed he will be at Glasgow next season despite being linked with Harlequins in England.

“We took opportunities clinically and the scoreboard then ticks over in your favour.

“Top two in the league has always been in reach, we knew if we won all our games including Scarlets and Connacht then we could do that. We have two games left and if we win them both, we will get into the top two, I think it will come down to that Connacht game who gets a home semi-final.”

After going behind from an early ruck infringement, a moment of brilliant skill from outside half Russell put the visitors ahead.

He had kicked his team into the corner with a penalty on halfway, but then the action near the Scarlets line settled into the formulaic battering of the forwards with the equally predictable strong defence.

Russell spotted the space behind for a chip ahead, with the real skill coming as he dived forward full length to regather the ball inches above the ground and then touch down for the try. Class.

The first half was beginning to turn into the Finn Russell show. He decided to run a penalty from in front of the posts, there was a man over on the right but a near interception ended up with a Glasgow lineout. The forwards drove to the line and Russell was on hand to squeeze over just inside the corner flag after a pass from scrum half Henry Pyrgos.

The Scarlets saw the game begin to slip away and turned down kickable penalties to maintain the pressure in search of a try. It came from full-back Liam Williams slipping through to score, converted by Stephen Shingler, to bring the home side right back into the game.

However crucially Glasgow scored again just before the break, turnover ball on halfway which Pyrgos used to break with great effect before sending out a long pass for left wing Lee Jones to go over in the corner. That gave the Scots a 10-point cushion at the break. They extended that in the first minute after half-time, full back Stuart Hogg returning the ball with interest from a Scarlets kick. The clear danger he posed drew in the Scarlets defenders and the ball was quickly moved right where Glasgow had men over.

Clinical passing from Russell, Rob Harley, Mark Bennett and Tommy Seymour gave Pyrgos the space to run round to the posts to make the Russell conversion a formality. That was also the bonus point in the bag. Even the breaks were starting to go Glasgow’s way, the fifth try coming when a Scarlets hand scooped the ball behind his own defence line allowing centre Mark Bennett to regather with a clear run to the line.

A Russell break and Leone Nakarawa pass did the same for wing Tommy Seymour to add his side’s sixth try as both sides emptied the bench – Glasgow to protect their big names and the Scarlets to replace those who had got out of their sick beds to play.

A mazy Russell run was stopped short on the Scarlets line, but Jones was on hand to play scrum half and add his second try to round things off.

Scorers: Scarlets: Try – L Williams. Con – Shingler. Pen – Shingler.

Glasgow Warriors: Tries – Russell (2), Jones (2), Pyrgos, Bennett, Seymour. Cons – Russell (4). Pen – Russell.

Scarlets: L Williams; S Evans, G Owen (A Thomas 46), H Parkes, DTH van der Merwe (S Hughes 12); S Shingler, G Davies (A Davies 66); R Evans (P John 63), K Owens (capt, K Myhill 63), S Lee (P Edwards 63); J Ball (G Earle 55), D Bulbring; M Paulino, J Davies, J Barclay (M Allen 55).

Glasgow Warriors: S Hogg (T Naiyaravoro 65); T Seymour, M Bennett, A Dunbar (D Weir 65), L Jones; F Russell, H Pyrgos (G Hart 64); G Reid(J Yanuyanutawa 65), F Brown (P MacArthur 59), S Puafisi (Z Fagerson 46); T Swinson (L Nakarawa 59), J Gray (capt); R Harley, R Wilson, J Strauss (T Holmes 70).

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU).