Harlequins wing Cadan Murley goes over for one of his three tries during their Champions Cup match against the Stormers at Twickenham Stoop on Saturday night. Picture: Alex Davidson/Getty Images
The Stormers were punished for an ill-discipline second half performance as Harlequins romped to a 53-16 win in their Champions Cup clash at Twickenham Stoop in London on Saturday night.
After a solid first half showing that saw the Stormers lead most of it, before trailing by 13 at the break, they fell apart in the second half conceding three yellow cards which allowed the hosts to dominate with a man advantage for most of the final 30 minutes.
Harlequins captain Alex Dombrandt was absolutely immense, scoring a hattrick and assisting tries, to pick up a deserved man of the match award, while left wing Cadan Murley also dotted down three times during the rout.
The Stormers got off to a solid start in the match as good early pressure in the Harlequins half during the first 10 minutes earned them penalties, which flyhalf Jurie Matthee slotted to give them a 6-0 lead after eight minutes.
However the hosts converted on their first visit to the Stormers 22m, with the visitors botching a scrum, letting a loose ball be picked and slung to Murley to run into the corner for their opening score in the 12th minute.
In the 29th minute the hosts hit the front as they attacked from a lineout in the Stormers 22m, spreading the ball quickly and getting close, where scrumhalf Danny Care sniped in to score, with flyhalf Marcus Smith adding the extras to put them 12-6 up.
The hosts made sure they would go into the break with a decent lead as they scored their third in the 35th minute, again attacking from a lineout in the Stormers 22m, this time Care delayed his pass superbly for eighthman Dombrandt to take it and go over under the posts to put them into a 19-6 lead at the break.
Harlequins got off to a steady start in the second half, with Smith knocking over a 46th minute penalty, followed by Mathee knocking over a drop goal two minutes later to make it 22-9.
Stormers scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer then picked up their first yellow in the 51st minute for a deliberate knock on.
The hosts immediately used the man advantage, kicking to the corner and rumbling over for Dombrandt’s second, while he rounded out his hattrick five minutes later as they counter attacked from a Stormers kick, with the captain breaking down the line to go over to put them 34-9 up.
From the restart Seabelo Senatla was sent to the bin after mistiming his run and interfering with the lifter, with the ref deeming it dangerous.
That allowed Harlequins to continue their dominance with a man advantage as Murley finished off a good move in the 64th minute, before Dombrandt had a chance for a fourth two minutes later but unselfishly handed the ball to his wing to notch up his own hattrick as they steamed into a 46-9 lead.
The Stormers received their third yellow card in 26 minutes when wing Angelo Davids was given his marching orders for going into a tackle high, with head contact sealing his fate.
That allowed Harlequins to throw the ball around for replacement hooker Sam Riley to receive and go over to get them over the 50 point mark.
The Stormers did finish with a flourish, starting an attack on halfway, with centre Wandisile Simelane making the break and the ball going through the hands for replacement back JC Mars to score on his debut, but it was just a consolation score on a difficult night.
Harlequins: Tries – Cadan Murley (3), Danny Care, Alex Dombrandt (3), Sam Riley; Conversions – Marcus Smith (3), Jarrod Evans (2); Penalty – Smith
Stormers: Try – JC Mars; Conversion – Jurie Mathee; Penalties – Mathee (2); Drop Goal – Mathee
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