Moerat concern as Glasgow shreds hapless Stormers apart

MATCH REPORT: Defending champions Glasgow Warriors displayed an attacking masterclass to advance to the United Rugby Championship semifinals by defeating the Stormers by 36-18.

The hosts put an attacking masterclass on for the whole clash whilst the Stormers were chasing shadows recording a 71 percent tackle success rate.

The Stormers dominated the scrums which were the only shining light but failed to convert any attacking line-out drive opportunities.

The Capetonians were also flat on attack with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu having a horror show throughout the match.

The Warriors were also good defensively and used the choke tackle to good effect forcing turnovers and halting the Stormers’ momentum throughout the match.

*To recap all the action CLICK HERE!

The Stormers started strongly from the kick-off with a strong counter ruck although Glasgow managed to retain possession and kick to touch.

The Capetonians attacked off the line-out and won a penalty as they opted for the corner and formed an attacking maul.

Even Roos had the ball stripped from his grasp but it went loose by Glasgow. Fortunately for the hosts, Hartzenberg knocked it on for the first scrum of the match five metres from the Warriors’ line.

The Stormers won the scrum penalty on Glasgow’s feed in the sixth minute in front of the posts.

Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu stepped up and slotted the penalty to open the Stormers’ account.

Stormers captain Salmaan Moerat went off with an inquiry for a head injury assessment in the eighth minute and was replaced by JD Schickerling.

Drama unfolded moments later when captain Kyle Steyn slicked through a gap and Seabelo Senatla illegally contested the ball and got yellow-carded for a cynical infringement.

The hosts went to the corner and caught the Stormers off guard with a line-out trick play short to Euan Ferrie taking a short ball and putting Rory Darge in a gap for the opening try which George Horne converted in the 11th minute.

Glasgow Warriors who were under penalty advantage for Ali Vermaak being offside saw them use the free play. Sione Tuipulotu kicked a grubber and found Kyle Rowe who dotted down for the hosts’ second try which Horne converted in the 16th minute.

The Stormers won a penalty for not rolling away against Rory Darge which Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu slotted in the 19th minute to reduce the deficit to eight points.

The news emerged moments later that Moerat failed his HIA.

The Stormers had a scrum free-kick which Feinberg-Mngomezulu launched high with the boot and the ball landed loose into the hands of Seabelo Senatla who dotted it down in the 26th minute which Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted.

The hosts, however, received a penalty for holding on immediately after the restart through Kyle Steyn and went to the corner.

The hosts formed a maul and were stopped short but then Henco Venter took the ball and dotted it down in the corner to hit straight back in the 28th minute. The conversion was unsuccessful.

Manie Libbok replaced Daniel du Plessis who went off with what appeared to be a broken arm in the 28th minute.

The Stormers received a penalty inside Glasgow’s 22-metre area after Evan Roos won a penalty for holding on as the visitors went to the corner.

The hosts earned another penalty and opted for the tap-and-go play through Venter but the visitors got held up over the line.

Referee Andrew Brace checked with the TMO if there was a possible grounding but it was ruled not the case as it was grounded short and the Stormers received a five-metre attacking scrum in the 32nd minute.

The Stormers received another scrum penalty and opted to scrum again with Glasgow being warned by referee Brace for their infringements.

Evan Roos picked the ball up but the visitors got driven back on defence as Feinberg-Mngomezulu was found being indecisive and knocked the ball on.

The Warriors had a final opportunity to score as Kyle Steyn got through another gap but Paul de Villiers got in over the ball and won a crucial penalty on the stroke of half-time.

The ball was tapped and kicked out as the teams headed to the sheds.

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Glasgow continued where they left the first pass with a great attack but they came back for a forward pass by Sione Tuipulotu on the Stormers’ 10-metre line.

The Stormers hit back through a great attacking delayed pass by Manie Libbok who got the ball to Warrick Gelant and he found Seabelo Senatla who dotted down for a brace in the 43rd minute. The conversion was missed.

A poor kick by Libbok after the restart gave Glasgow another attacking opportunity and Tom Jordan found another gap and offloaded to Kyle Rowe who bagged his brace which Horne converted in the 46th minute.

A misfiring line-out by Andre Hugo-Venter saw the Warriors play wide and showing an attacking masterclass. Sione Tuipulotu gave a wide pass to Josh Mckay who found Kyle Rowe on his inside and got his pass away to George Horne who dotted down and converted his own try for a 15 point lead.

Centre Sione Tuipulotu made a great line-break and the hosts earned another penalty inside the Stormers’ 22-metre area.

George Horne stepped up to extend the host’s lead to 18 points in the 56th minute and left the Stormers a mountain to climb.

The Stormers received a penalty for obstruction off the restart and went to the corner for an attacking line-out but got driven back on attack and earned another penalty for not rolling away.

They went to the corner again and formed a maul through which they earned another penalty for contact in the air.

They rolled the dice yet again but then Venter knocked the ball on as it came loose.

The Stormers had numerous attacking opportunities in the final 20 minutes through poor discipline by the Warriors but failed to convert any of them.

The Warriors had a scrum with one minute to go and set one phase before Jamie Dobie kicked the ball into touch to send the Stormers packing and advance to the semifinals.

Scorers:

For Glasgow Warriors:
Tries: Darge, Rowe 2, Venter, Horne
Cons: Horne 4
Pens: Horne

For Stormers:
Tries: Senatla 2
Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Pens: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2

Yellow card: Seabelo Senatla (Stormers: Cynical – illegal contesting at the breakdown following a linebreak)

Teams:

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Steyn (captain), 10 Tom Jordan, 9 George Horne, 8 Henco Venter, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Alex Samuel, 3 Murphy Walker, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Jamie Bhatti.
Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Jack Mann, 21 Macenzzie Duncan, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Adam Hastings.

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Connor Evans, 21 Louw Nel, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Manie Libbok.

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales), Ben Breakspear (Wales)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)