The Stormers punished an undisciplined performance from 13-man London Irish to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions Cup with a 28-14 win over their hosts at the Brentford Community Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
London Irish were given two well-deserved red cards, the first in the 16thTh minutes for fullback Ben Loader who was upright in a tackle on Manie Libbock who ended up in a head clash and the Stormers flyhalf was about to die with concussion.
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The second came in 41St minute as the replacement prop Ciaran Parker, who had just arrived on the field at the break in the change of tactics, flew to the shoulders of the first ruck and connected with the head of the Stormers player.
This allowed the Stormers to open in four tries to two, three of which came in the first half, but the visitors will be disappointed with the scrappy second half performance that did not allow them to power for what should have been a great win.
The Stormers first try came from a powerful maul in the 12thTh minute, with an illegal stop leading to a penalty attempt and a yellow card for flank Juan Martin Gonzalez, with Loader off four minutes later.
Try twice and come to 29Th minutes of the best interception from outside the center Ruhan Nel, when the third in 37Th there was a perfect grubber from the replacement of the flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to the wing Suleiman Hartzenberg to brush off the attempt to intercept and go through.
Bonus points
The second half then started with a red to Parker, followed by the Stormers scoring a bonus point in the 46th.Th minute after center Dan du Plessis stripped the ball from London Irish players and kicked the ball ahead twice, with the wing Angelo Davids picked up and scored.
Despite the chances being stacked, London Irish responded well with a penalty try in the 50th.Th minutes when they powered the maul to the line, with prop Steven Kitshoff brought down illegally, leading to a yellow card for his efforts.
The hosts then closed the match with a score of 76Th minutes trying to sustain Danilo Fischetti, and although the Stormers tried to have the final say, Nel butchered the chance to score the second by dropping the ball over the tryline with only seconds remaining.
In the end, the job was done for the Stormers to secure a bonus point win and progress to the last 16, but it is a poor and poor second half that needs to be rectified.
Goal scorer
Irish London: Try – Penalty Try, Danilo Fischetti; Conversion – Rory Jennings
Stormers: Try – Try Penalty, Ruhan Nel, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Angelo Davids; Conversion – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3)