Stormers hammer Glasgow to go top
MATCH REPORT: The Stormers have overtaken Glasgow Warriors at the top of the United Rugby Championship standings after they recorded a 48-12 win over the Scottish outfit in their Round 16 encounter in Cape Town on Saturday.
John Dobson’s side outscored Franco Smith’s men by six tries to two in the 80 minutes, with powerhouse prop Ntuthuko Mchunu getting a brace.
Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu also produced one of his best performances of the season. He contributed 23 points.
The Stormers now have 56 log points, with Glasgow in second with 55.
It was the perfect response from the Stormers after they crumbled to a 24-33 defeat to Connacht last weekend.
However, there will be some concern over Springbok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, who limped off the field in the second half after his leg got trapped during a cleanout at a ruck.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu settled some of the nerves when he converted a penalty into three points in the fifth minute.
The Capetonians looked threatening with ball in hand, and they were rewarded in the ninth minute when Mchunu barged over for a try after collecting the ball from a smart swing pass by Neethling Fouché.
It got even better for the home side a few minutes later when Mchunu completed his double after he stood up with the ball after a strong maul from the Stormers pack before scoring.
To rub salt in the visitors’ wounds, Jack Dempsey was yellow-carded for collapsing.
Glasgow needed a big response, and it came in the form of Sione Tuipulotu, who produced a brilliant break that took play into the Stormers’ 22. After a quick-tap penalty, the ball was spread wide to Ollis Smith, who weaved his way over for a try.
However, order was restored for the home side in the 29th minute after some great support play from the backs sent Evan Roos into space to sprint in for a try.
As the first half drew to a close, momentum swung to Glasgow, and their sustained pressure resulted in Reinach going into the sinbin for repeated infringements.
Not long after that, Gregor Hiddleston found his way to the tryline from a driving maul.
At half-time, it was 24-12 to the Stormers.
After a nine-point haul in the first half, Feinberg-Mngomezulu opened up a 15-point lead for his team when he landed his second penalty in the 43rd minute.
Glasgow lost playmaker Adam Hastings in the 47th minute after he was sent to the bin for a high shot on André-Hugo Venter.
The Stormers took full advantage of their extra man when captain Ruhan Nel pounced on a ball after a neat grubber kick by Feingberg-Mngomezulu to score the crucial bonus-point try.
After a scrappy piece of play, there were points in the 72nd minute after Feinberg-Mngomezulu ran onto a short pass before bursting over the tryline.
The Capetonians wrapped things up with a sixth try in the 78th minute – this time it was Keke Morabe who powered over the tryline off the back of a driving maul.
Man of the match: It’s a close one between Ntuthuko Mchunu and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. However, we have decided to give it to the prop for his powerhouse performance, which included two tries.
The scorers:
For Stormers:
Tries: Mchunu 2, Roos, Nel, Mngomezulu, Morabe
Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 6
Pens: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2
For Glasgow Warriors:
Tries: Smith, Hiddleston
Con: Hastings
Yellow cards: Jack Dempsey (Glasgow, 14′ – cynical play, collapsing the maul); Cobus Reinach (Stormers, 37′ – repeated infringements, offside); Adam Hastings (Glasgow, 47′ – foul play, high tackle.
Teams:
Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Wandisile Simelane, 13 Ruhan Nel (captain), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Marcel Theunissen, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Markus Muller.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Kyle Rowe, 14 Kyle Steyn (captain), 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Ollie Smith, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ben Afshar, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Angus Fraser, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Ryan Burke, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Patrick Schickerling.
Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Dylan Cockburn, 20 Jare Oguntibeju, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Stafford McDowall, 23 Jack Oliver.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Griffin Colby (South Africa), Dylen November (South Africa)
TMO: Peter Martin (Ireland)
