Glasgow Warriors 36-18 DHL Stormers

Glasgow Warriors roared into the final four of the BKT United Rugby Championship this evening, running in five tries to claim a 36-18 victory over the DHL Stormers at Scotstoun.

A brace from Kyle Rowe, allied with tries from Rory Darge – in a Player of the Match-winning performance -, George Horne and Henco Venter ensured that the Warriors will continue their defence of the title next weekend, with their opponents to be confirmed following the remaining quarter-final action.

On a perfect evening for rugby at Scotstoun, the visitor were the first to trouble the scorers, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu making no mistake with a penalty from 15 metres to give his side a 3-0 lead with six minutes played.

Glasgow’s response was immediate, however; a brace of lung-busting charges from Tom Jordan gave the Warriors field position, before Scott Cummings’ inside ball sent Kyle Steyn slicing through. The captain was denied only by Seabelo Senatla killing the ball illegally, and with the Stormers winger shown a yellow card, Glasgow took full advantage. Darge was the beneficiary of a cleverly-worked lineout to crash over the whitewash, Horne adding the extras for a 7-3 lead after 10 minutes.

The Warriors were motoring, and with the Warrior Nation roaring them on, a second try would follow just five minutes later. Josh McKay’s searing break from full-back made the initial incision, flipping the ball outside to Steyn to carry on the attack. Lightning-quick ball from the breakdown then gave Sione Tuipulotu the platform to measure a perfectly-weighted grubber kick in behind, Rowe easily winning the foot race to gather and touch down. Horne converted, and the hosts led 14-3.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu narrowed the deficit with a second penalty on 19 minutes, but the Glasgow defence was proving just as eye-catching as the men in black’s attack. A textbook chop tackle from Darge stopped a charging Dan du Plessis in his tracks, before Alex Samuel and Cummings led the charge in impressive fashion at maul defence.

Yet out of nothing, the visitors would strike for a first try of their own with 25 minutes on the clock. A speculative high kick from Feinberg-Mngomezulu would ricochet in behind the defence, Senatla reacting fastest to collect and touch down under the posts for a try that – converted by Feinberg-Mngomezulu – made it a one-point game.

Once more, though, the Glasgow response was immediate and ideal. A turnover penalty from Gregor Hiddleston inside the Stormers 22 saw the hosts kick to the corner, and whilst the maul was stopped a metre short, there was to be no denying Venter from barging over on the blindside to score in front of the West Stand. Horne’s conversion attempt dropped short, leaving the scoreline at 19-13 as the half-hour mark approached.

Back came the visitors again, yet the Warriors defence not only held firm, it set the tone. A five-metre scrum was defended with venom, Venter’s turnover-securing tackle coming after pushing the Stormers back to the edge of the 22 and raising the decibel metre inside Scotstoun to new levels.

The Stormers would strike for their second score just three minutes after the restart, however, the introduction of Manie Libbok providing the catalyst as the ball was sent through the hands and send Senatla racing over from halfway. The conversion attempt was wayward, though, with the Warriors remaining in front by a single point.

It took the hosts 90 seconds to hit back, raising the roof of the East Stand in the process. Jordan’s sublime line took the fly-half from the Stormers 22 to within five metres, before retaining his composure to flip the ball to the supporting Rowe. The winger still had work to do, but showed superb balance and footwork to beat the last man and dive over. Horne added the extras, and the Warriors led 26-18.

More was to follow on the 50-minute mark, as the Warriors produced a first-phase belter of their own. Cummings’ steal of a Stormers line out saw the ball whisked through the hands, with McKay turning on the afterburners before freeing Rowe on the outside. The winger’s ball back inside was floated to perfection for Horne, the scrum-half converting his own score for a 33-18 advantage.

Horne added three more points to the scoreline six minutes later, slotting a penalty from 35 metres after Libbok was caught offside following a trademark Tuipulotu line break. The Glasgow defence then returned to top form, splintering a five-metre Stormers maul to force the error and win the turnover to the delight of the Scotstoun faithful.

Still the Warrior Nation roared their side forward, and their side lifted their level yet again in response. A mammoth defensive shift from Venter – who departed the field to a standing ovation – and Darge were just two of the displays to raise the volume amongst the support, a volume that increased yet further when the ball was dispatched into touch to bring about the final whistle.

Semi-final bound for the second season running – all eyes now turn to Dublin, as Franco Smith’s men wait to discover their final four opponents.