Stormers crash out of URC with dismal showing in Glasgow

News24

2 days ago

Defending champions, the Glasgow Warriors once again showed their class with a resounding win over the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final clash on Friday evening.
Franco Smith's charges ran out 36-18 winners in a match where the Stormers' defence and handling let them down throughout the match.
Playing with the wind, the Stormers made a dominant start. After initially turning down a shot at goal, a further penalty, this time from a dominant scrum, saw Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu land the first points of the match through a penalty to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.
Glasgow hit back soon after with the first try of the match through Rory Darge. George Horne added the extras as Glasgow took the lead at 7-3.
Glasgow, who were willing to keep the ball in hand, were rewarded with another try in the 15th minute, this time through winger Kyle Rowe, who collected a brilliant kick ahead by Sione Tuipulotu to cross over the whitewash. Horne converted from a difficult angle as Glasgow pushed their lead to 14-3.
The Stormers were next to score through another Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty, which cut the Glasgow lead to 14-6 with 20 minutes left in the first half.
Seabelo Senatla got the Stormers right back in the contest when he collected an up-and-under from Feinberg-Mngomezulu that Glasgow failed to control to race away under the uprights for a converted score as the visitors now trailed by one point, 14-13.
Glasgow, however, extended their lead from the restart, using their fearsome maul to score through Henco Venter.
Horne missed a difficult conversion, but the home side had opened their lead to 19-13 with 10 minutes left in the first half.
Glasgow had a few other attacking opportunities in the final minutes of the half, but the Stormers' defence held strong as the teams hit the sheds for half-time, with the home side holding a six-point advantage.
The Stormers struck first in the second stanza when brilliant handling following a break by Manie Libbok saw Senatla seal his brace.
While Feinberg-Mngomezulu couldn't convert, the visitors had cut the Glasgow's lead to 19-18.
Glasgow, however, hit back soon after, with Rowe securing his brace by stepping through a few tacklers near the Stormers' line and crashing over under the posts for a converted try and a 26-18 lead.
Things got worse for the visitors when Glasgow attacked from deep. Deft handling sent Horne over for a converted score, and the home side suddenly had a handy 33-18 lead with 27 minutes left to play.
A Horne penalty then further extended the Stormers' problems as Glasgow led 36-18 with the home side well in control of the game.
While John Dobson's charges tried to force their way back into the encounter, forced passes and poor handling scuppered their efforts as Glasgow controlled the remaining minutes to come away with a well-deserved victory.
Scorers
Glasgow Warriors 36 (19)
Tries: Rory Darge, Kyle Rowe (2), Henco Venter, George Horne
Conversions: George Horne (4)
Penalties: George Horne
Stormers 18 (13)
Tries: Seabelo Senatla (2)
Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu