For the second year in a row, the Stormers’ URC season ended in the quarter-finals with a loss to Glasgow. The Warriors defeated John Dobson’s team 36-18 at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday night. The South African side came to Scotland hoping to take revenge for last year’s loss at the same stage, but they were outplayed by a confident Glasgow team that played fast and attacking rugby in sunny weather.
Glasgow scored tries through Rory Darge, Kyle Rowe (who scored twice), Henco Venter, and George Horne. The Stormers did manage two tries from Seabelo Senatla, but mistakes from their backline hurt their chances throughout the game.
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The Stormers’ forwards performed well and kept the match close until around the 60th minute by dominating the set pieces. However, they couldn’t stop the Warriors from pulling ahead and booking a place in the semi-finals. Glasgow will now face either Leinster or Scarlets in the next round.
Stormers Begin Match with Fast Start
The Stormers started the game strongly and spent most of the first five minutes close to scoring under Glasgow’s posts, but a knock-on stopped their attack.
Still, the Stormers’ forwards showed their strength with a powerful scrum that earned them a penalty. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu easily kicked it over to give the Stormers a 3-0 lead.
Soon after, Glasgow gained control. Kyle Steyn broke through the defense and brought the ball near the Stormers’ try line. Seabelo Senatla was penalized for slowing the game at the breakdown and received a yellow card for his actions.
The Stormers were already shaken after losing their captain, Salmaan Moerat, to a head injury assessment. Things got even worse when the Glasgow Warriors used a smart lineout move, allowing Darge to score an easy try.
Soon after, the Stormers were down to 14 men, and the Warriors took full advantage. Sione Tuipulotu kicked a perfect low pass (a grubber), which Rowe picked up to score another try. This pushed the Warriors’ lead to 14-3.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu gave the Stormers some hope by scoring a penalty. Then, he kicked the ball high into the air after a free kick from the pack. None of the Warriors players went for the catch, and Senatla – who had just returned to the field – took the ball after a lucky bounce and scored a try without anyone touching him.
That try brought the Stormers back to within one point. But right after that, they made a defensive mistake during a close-range maul. Venter saw the gap and scored on the blindside, giving the Warriors a 19-13 lead at halftime.
The Stormers looked like they might turn the game around right after halftime when a great move down the left side led to Senatla scoring his second try. But just like in the first half, Glasgow quickly answered back. This time, Rowe slipped past the defense near the try line to score.
Glasgow extended their lead even more when Horne added another try and converted it himself. He then kicked a penalty to push the score to 36-18 in favor of the home team.
After that, the game settled into a steady pace. The Stormers couldn’t find a way back into the match, with Glasgow’s strong defense and their own handling mistakes holding them back. In the end, the Stormers’ season ended in disappointment once again at Scotstoun.
