Tag: Ruhan Nel

‹ Back

Stormers surge top of URC after clinical dismantling of Glasgow

Adnaan MohamedNews, RugbyLeave a Comment on Stormers surge top of URC after clinical dismantling of Glasgow
By Adnaan Mohamed

The Stormers delivered a ruthless reminder of their championship pedigree, dismantling the Glasgow Warriors 48-12 in a high-octane United Rugby Championship (URC) clash in Cape Town to surge to the top of the standings.

A week ago, after a stuttering home defeat to Connacht, the Stormers looked adrift of the title conversation. A week later, the narrative has flipped completely. As the old sporting cliché goes, momentum can turn in an instant, and here it arrived like a rolling maul with venom.

Roared on by 23,740 fans at Cape Town Stadium, John Dobson’s side produced the cold-blooded performance demanded in the build-up, combining forward muscle with backline incision to overwhelm Franco Smith’s charges.

They burst from the blocks like a backline move off first phase. Loosehead prop Ntuthuko Mchunu crashed over twice inside the opening quarter, each carry a thunderclap at scrum time where the Stormers held a decisive edge. Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu added a penalty and both conversions to push the hosts into a 17-0 lead after just 15 minutes.

Glasgow refused to be passengers. Wing Ollie Smith capitalised on a rare lapse – sparked by a misjudged attacking kick from Feinberg-Mngomezulu – to score and breathe life into the contest. Hooker Gregor Hiddleston later finished a driving maul, with Adam Hastings converting as the visitors clawed back to 24-12 at the break.

Yet even during that resurgence, the Stormers looked the sharper blade. Their defence held firm, their scrum creaked Glasgow backwards, and their decision-making – bar the odd misfire – was largely on point.

The defining moment of the first half arrived when Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s sleight of hand released Evan Roos, who surged clear for the Stormers’ third try. It was a glimpse of the attacking clarity that had been missing the previous week.

After halftime, the contest tilted decisively. Captain Ruhan Nel powered over after a pinpoint grubber from Feinberg-Mngomezulu, stretching the lead to 34-12. From there, the Stormers tightened their grip like a choke tackle.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu, orchestrating proceedings with poise, marked his 50th appearance with a try of his own before replacement Keke Morabe added the finishing touch. The flyhalf was flawless from the tee, slotting six conversions and two penalties in a 26-point haul that underlined his influence.

There was also a moment for the future, as teenage sensation Markus Muller became the youngest player in franchise history, stepping onto the field to a warm reception.

Glasgow were shut out in the second half, their challenge blunted by a Stormers side that was dominant at the set piece, disciplined on defence and clinical in execution. It was a complete performance – the kind that fuels belief of another title run reminiscent of 2021/22.

Two-try prop Mchunu walked away with Man of the Match honours, but this was a collective statement. The Stormers now hold their playoff destiny in their own hands as they head into their final tour fixtures against Ulster and Cardiff, chasing top spot and home-ground advantage through the knockouts.

Scorers

Stormers 48 (24):
Tries: Ntuthuko Mchunu (2), Evan Roos, Ruhan Nel, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Keke Morabe
Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (6)
Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2)

Glasgow Warriors 12 (12):
Tries: Ollie Smith, Gregor Hiddleston
Conversion: Adam Hastings

Teams

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Wandisile Simelane, 13 Ruhan Nel (captain), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Marcel Theunissen, 20 Keke Morabe, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Jurie Matthee, 23 Markus Muller.

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Kyle Rowe, 14 Kyle Steyn (captain), 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Ollie Smith, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ben Afshar, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Angus Fraser, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Ryan Burke, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 1 Patrick Schickerling.
Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Dylan Cockburn, 20 Jare Oguntibeju, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Stafford McDowall, 23 Jack Oliver.

Photo Credits: x.com/THESTORMERS

Stormers left reeling as Connacht spoil emotional Cape Town farewell

Adnaan MohamedNewsLeave a Comment on Stormers left reeling as Connacht spoil emotional Cape Town farewell
By Adnaan Mohamed

What was meant to be a day of tribute and celebration at DHL Stadium ended in bitter disappointment for the Stormers, who slumped to a shock 33-24 United Rugby Championship defeat to Connacht on Saturday.

On an emotionally charged afternoon, the home side honoured long-time team manager Christopher “Chippie” Solomons, who died suddenly from a heart attack last week, while veteran hooker Scarra Ntubeni was set for a fitting farewell in his final appearance in blue and white.

Instead, the occasion turned into a nightmare.

With Solomons’ family receiving warm applause from the 13,903-strong crowd on a cold, wet Cape Town afternoon, the mood before kick-off was heavy with emotion. Tears flowed among players as the Stormers prepared for a match coach John Dobson had described as one “for Chippie”.

By full-time, there was no comfort to be found.

The defeat not only denied the Stormers the chance to climb to the top of the URC table, it also left their play-off ambitions under fresh pressure. Connacht’s first-ever win over the Stormers in Cape Town lifted the Irish side from ninth to sixth, while the hosts remained second.

The Stormers appeared to have done enough when Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu crashed over late in the second half to edge them ahead.

But the match swung dramatically moments later.

A costly error from the restart by replacement lock Ruben van Heerden handed Connacht the opening they needed, with scrumhalf Ben Murphy pouncing for a crucial try in the 71st minute to snatch a 26-24 lead and secure the visitors a bonus point.

Forced to chase the game, the Stormers unravelled.

Their expansive approach in slippery conditions proved costly, with loose passing and poor decision-making repeatedly placing them under pressure. That desperation was punished in the 77th minute when Connacht flyhalf Sean Naughton intercepted to race away for the decisive score.

Dobson admitted afterwards that his side had failed to adapt to the conditions.

“You are 100% correct. Yes, it was very frustrating. We shovelled rubbish out there for quite a bit of time. We did … We did,” he said.

The Stormers coach conceded his side should have played a more territorial game.

“We were loose throughout. There were a couple of patches in the first half that we spoke about where we shuffled it around too much.

“I thought we were very loose. We said at halftime, let’s be more direct and limit the passing on attack.

“But we kept shovelling the ball back repeatedly and conceded a penalty for sealing off.”

Dobson felt the Stormers strayed from a winning blueprint that was already working.

“It felt at times we needed to invent to beat them, when in reality the template was there to do it; we saw it with our mauling getting on top.”

He also pointed to key moments that shifted momentum.

“We had their maul on the ropes, and at one instance we had a quick throw in to Warrick Gelant, but then Damian Willemse threw a forward pass, Connacht got the scrum and ended up scoring.”

The emotional week, Dobson said, could not be used as an excuse, though he acknowledged the impact it had.

“We can’t use Chippie’s thing as an excuse, but it was a helluva week.”

Captain Ruhan Nel echoed his coach’s frustration.

“I felt we did more than enough in that game to put ourselves in the correct positions.

“I felt we defended great at certain times and then there were a lack of concentration due to simple decisions.”

The defeat leaves the Stormers with little room for error heading into a massive clash against the Glasgow Warriors next week, before a demanding two-match tour against Ulster Rugby and Cardiff Rugby.

“Massive… to get nothing out of this game is very disappointing,” Dobson said.

“We now have to win all three to get where we want to be, but that’s much easier said than done.

“We’ve put ourselves in a bit of a position now.”

For the Stormers, a day that began with tribute ended with a bruising reminder that sentiment alone does not win rugby matches.