Champions Cup result: Poor first half costs Stormers against Exeter

A poor first half performance from the Stormers cost them dearly as they fell to a disappointing 42-17 (halftime 21-0) loss against Exeter Chiefs in their Champions Cup quarterfinal clash at Sandy Park on Saturday evening.

A fantastic performance from the ruthless hosts was compounded by a dreadful first half from the visitors which had them trailing by a large margin at the break, and despite an improved second half showing it was too much to make up in the end.

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Exeter were on the front foot from the first whistle and deservedly took the lead in the 12^th minute with a brilliant attack starting from their own 22m line.

They attacked into Stormers territory and with their defence scrambling, flyhalf Joe Simmonds saw space out wide and sent a top cross kick for Tom Wyatt to run onto and go over for the opening score.

Nine minutes later the hosts were back on attack in the Stormers 22m, with right wing Jack Nowell picking the ball up at a ruck and bursting through two tacklers before just reaching over to score, while Simmonds popped over the extras for a 14-0 lead.

A lineout on the Stormers 22m in the 29^th minute then saw Exeter hooker over throw it straight to inside centre Sean O’Brien, who burst into space and fed left wing Olly Woodburn to run in and score in the corner which gave them a big lead at the break.

Sealed game

The Stormers needed to score first in the second half, but it was Exeter who effectively sealed off the game in the 45^th minute as eighthman Sam Simmonds received the ball off a ruck and hit a big hole in the defence to run away and score under the poles to give them a 28-0 lead.

This seemed to finally wake the Stormers up and from a scrum in the Exeter 22m they attacked, going through the phases before the ball was slung out wide to left wing Seabelo Senatla to offload to fullback Damian Willemse to go over.

Stormers centre Ruhan Nel was then unlucky to have a superb try chalked off for a perceived block in the build-up, but the visitors were soon in for their second try in the 60^th minute.

From a ruck in their own half scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies spotted some space and dinked a superb ball over for right wing Suleiman Hartzenberg to run onto, swerve past a defender and then sprint away to score in the corner, with flyhalf Manie Libbok again missing the extras to leave the score 28-10.

With 20 minutes still left in the match the Stormers may have felt they had a slight chance of getting back into the contest, but that was ended by Exeter’s fifth try in the 73^rd minute as they powered a huge maul over for replacement hooker Jack Yeandle to dot down.

 It was then a frantic finish to the match as Stormers lock Marvin Orie charged a kick down and scored, followed by Exeter replacement scrumhalf Tom Cairns adding the cherry with the final score for the hosts.

Scorers

Exeter Chiefs: Tries – Tom Wyatt, Jack Nowell, Olly Woodburn, Sam Simmonds, Jack Yeandle, Tom Cairns; Conversions – Joe Simmonds (6)

Stormers: Tries – Damian Willemse, Suileman Hartzenberg, Marvin Orie; Conversion – Manie Libbok