Glasgow power past Stormers into semis

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Defending champions, Glasgow Warriors scored five tries in a resounding quarter-final win at Scotstoun on Friday night to bring the curtain down on the Stormers’ 2024-25 Vodacom URC.

Winger Kyle Rowe scored a brace of tries as Glasgow converted a 19-13 half-time lead into a 36-18 victory, and second win over the Stormers this season. Franco Smith’s men will next week face the winner on Saturday between Leinster and Scarlets at the Aviva Stadium in the semi-finals.

The Warriors pulled away decisively after the break to extend their dominance over John Dobson’s charges to 5-1 and eliminate the Capetonians from the URC at the last-eight stage for the second consecutive season.

The Stormers struck first through Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s seventh-minute penalty, but their momentum stalled when captain Salmaan Moerat departed for a failed HIA and speedster Seabelo Senatla received a yellow card for breakdown infringement.

Glasgow capitalised immediately, flanker Rory Darge powering over from a clever lineout trick play, before Rowe finished brilliantly in the corner following Sione Tuipulotu’s well-executed grubber behind the Stormers defence.

Scrumhalf George Horne’s accurate boot extended the home side’s lead to 14-3, though Feinberg-Mngomezulu narrowed the gap with another penalty.

The visitors responded dramatically when Senatla, fresh from his sin-bin return, pounced on an unclaimed high ball and sprinted clear for a converted try under the posts.

However, South African No 8 Henco Venter restored Glasgow’s breathing space, spotting a gap around a collapsed maul to cross in the corner.

Injury concerns mounted for the Stormers when Dan du Plessis departed with a shoulder problem, forcing flyhalf Manie Libbok into the action and prompting a backline reshuffle with Feinberg-Mngomezulu moving to inside centre.

The Stormers briefly threatened early in the second half when Senatla completed his brace through slick interplay from Libbok and Warrick Gelant, but Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s missed conversion left Glasgow ahead 19-18.

Rowe quickly restored the title-holders’ advantage with his second try from close range before Glasgow seized control. Horne capped off a stunning breakout from a lineout turnover before converting his score to establish a commanding 33-18 lead.

Horne’s subsequent penalty stretched the Warriors’ lead, effectively ending the contest, while the Stormers’ woes were compounded when centre Suleiman Hartzenberg departed on crutches with an ankle injury.

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Photo: Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images

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