GLASGOW not only got the win they needed to go through to the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup for the first time, they did so by playing some of the best rugby ever seen from a Scottish side. It was certainly the most complete performance from the Warriors since they dismantled Munster in the 2015 PRO12 final, as they ran in six tries against opponents who had previously lost at home only once in 34 European matches.

Any kind of victory would have been enough to take Gregor Townsend’s team through to the last eight, but they ensured themselves of a bonus point into the bargain with four tries before half-time. They added two more tries after the break to inflict a record European defeat on Leicester - who 20 years earlier on the same ground in the same competition had humiliated Glasgow by 90 points to 19.

The Warriors knew they could beat Leicester all right, having done so at Scotstoun back in October, when they won 42-13, but even their most wildly optimistic fan could surely not have expected them to complete the double in such style. Having qualified as one of the three best runners-up from the five pools - Munster were already sure of winning Pool One - Glasgow now await today’s completion of the final round of pool games to find out who they meet in the last eight, with Saracens or Munster looking the most probable. They will have to travel in that tie on the weekend beginning 30 March, and they will face more daunting opposition than Leicester produced today, but on this form they will have a fighting chance.

The first half here was simply sensational - possibly the best by a Scottish side since the national team scored five before the break in 1999. Even allowing for the fact that Leicester have a lot of internal problems following the recent dismissal of director of rugby Richard Cockerill, it was a superb display by Glasgow. They were relentlessly focused, inspired in their decision-making, and switched tempo with impeccable insight.

The Warriors took the lead after six minutes in their first sustained attack, one in which they displayed exemplary patience. They made slow progress in some of the 27 phases, but pressed on undeterred, and eventually Tommy Seymour came into the line, kicked free of a half-tackle and touched down behind the posts.

Finn Russell converted, and soon added a penalty to put his team into double figures with only 12 minutes on the clock. He had a chance to stretch the lead to 13-0 in the last minute of the first quarter with another penalty, but was just wide with the attempt.

Nonetheless, it was an excellent start by the Warriors, and it soon got better when Mathew Tait was yellow-carded for a barge on Lee Jones after the winger had chipped ahead. The resultant penalty was kicked to touch, and so was another when the subsequent lineout drive was illegally halted. Another drive by Glasgow brought another offence by Leicester with only a metre to go to the line, and this time

Referee Mathieu Raynal awarded a penalty try, which Russell converted.

With Tait still in the bin, Tigers No 10 Freddie Burns had two chances to get his team off the mark with long-range penalties, but was off target both times. Two minutes later, they found themselves further behind.

Gordon Reid made a half-break through the middle and was supported by Russell and Josh Strauss. Leicester funnelled defenders into the breakdown, leaving themselves exposed on the left, and Mark Bennett finished off a clinically executed overlap. Russell’s conversion made it 24-0.

There was still more than enough time in the half for the Warriors to score the fourth try which gave them a bonus point, and it came from Jonny Gray after Jones and Ali Price combined. Russell again converted, taking the half-time score to a barely credible 31-0.

Any notion that the Warriors would slacken off in the second half was soon dispelled, and after 47 minutes Ryan Wilson began and ended the move that produced the fifth try, again converted by Russell.

Besides being up against a team who were on top of their game, Leicester continued to make things difficult for themselves by coughing up possession with some basic handling errors. They have a proud record of domestic and European success, but they looked a sorry, demoralised bunch long before the end of this contest, which according to some of their seasoned supporters was their most embarrassing performance in decades.

There were still nearly 20 minutes left when Glasgow scored their sixth try - unconverted this time - as Tim Swinson used brute force to finish off a swift attack down the left wing. A pushover seventh in the opposite corner was chalked off by the TMO, then at the other end Leicester were held up on the Glasgow line. The home team’s humiliation was completed when substitute Ellis Genge became the second Tiger to be sinbinned, by which time thousands of their supporters had walked out disgusted.

Scorers: Glasgow: Tries: Seymour, penalty try, Bennett, Gray, Wilson, Swinson. Cons: Russell 5. Pen: Russell

Leicester Tigers: M Tait; A Thompstone, P Betham (M Smith 65), J Roberts, T Brady; F Burns, B Youngs (S Harrison 50); G Bateman (E Genge 50), T Youngs (H Thacker 63), D Cole (P Cilliers 67), E Slater, M Fitzgerald (D Barrow 63), M Williams, L McCaffrey (W Evans 75), L Hamilton. Unused substitute: G Worth.

Glasgow Warriors: S Hogg (P Murchie 70); T Seymour, M Bennett, A Dunbar (N Grigg 65), L Jones; F Russell, A Price (H Pyrgos 55); G Reid (A Allan 65), F Brown (P MacArthur 58), Z Fagerson (D Rae 65), T Swinson (B Alainu’uese 70), J Gray, R Harley, R Wilson, J Strauss (C Fusaro 55).

Referee: M Raynal (France).