Glasgow Warriors Triumph Over Stormers to Set Up Munster Semi-Final
Glasgow Warriors secured a place in the United Rugby Championship semi-finals with a thrilling final quarter performance, defeating the Stormers at Scotstoun.
Two penalties from George Horne gave the Warriors a 6-0 lead at halftime. Despite tries from Ben Loader and Paul de Wet for the Stormers, alongside a try from Sebastian Cancelliere for Glasgow, the South Africans were hampered by Manie Libbok’s poor kicking display.
Substitute tries from Henco Venter and Ross Thompson, combined with 12 points from Horne’s boot, propelled Glasgow into the last four. They now face defending champions Munster in Limerick next Saturday. With previous close encounters between these teams, the semi-final promises to be an exciting contest.
Warriors maintained an unbeaten home record all season, while the Stormers had ended the regular season with four straight victories. Early in the match, Glasgow’s backline brilliance was evident, but a fumble by Horne denied them a try.
In challenging weather, Libbok missed two penalties before Horne successfully opened the scoring. The physical contest struggled to flow due to the slippery ball, but Glasgow went into the break leading 6-0.
In the second half, a try from Loader brought the Stormers within one point. However, a powerful run by Sione Tuipulotu, followed by a Cancelliere try, reignited Glasgow’s momentum. De Wet’s try briefly narrowed the gap, but another missed conversion from Libbok left the Stormers trailing.
Tom Jordan’s break set up Venter for a decisive try, and Thompson’s last-minute score sealed Glasgow’s victory. The Warriors will now aim to avenge last season’s quarter-final defeat against Munster.
Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith praised his team’s commitment and resilience, highlighting their ability to handle the physical challenge posed by the South African teams.
Glasgow Warriors Line-Up:
- McKay, Cancelliere, Jones, Tuipulotu, Steyn, Jordan, G. Horne
- Bhatti, Matthews, Z. Fagerson, Cummings, Gray, M. Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey
Replacements:
- Thompson for Jones (77), McBeth for Bhatti (51), Turner for Matthews (51), Williamson for Gray (66), Venter for Darge (66), Ferrie for Dempsey (77). Not Used: Kebble, Dobie
Stormers Line-Up:
- Gelant, Hartzenberg, D. du Plessis, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Loader, Libbok, Jantjies
- Harris, Dweba, Malherbe, Moerat, van Heerden, Engelbrecht, Dixon, Dayimani
Replacements:
- J. du Plessis for Feinberg-Mngomezulu (60), de Wet for Jantjies (62), Sithole for Harris (64), Evans for Moerat (77), Smith for van Heerden (66). Not Used: Venter, Fouche, Theunissen. Sin Bin: Moerat (53).