Chiefs 42 Stormers 17
Exeter Chiefs
Stormers
Mark Stevens at Sandy Park
We’ve seen The Good, The Bad, even The Ugly from Exeter Chiefs this season.
Today, however, Rob Baxter’s side produced arguably their best display since lifting the Heineken Champions Cup in 2020 to see off the visiting Stormers and advance into Europe’s last four.
A dominant first half display laid the foundations for this latest success story. Tries from Tom Wyatt, Jack Nowell and Olly Woodburn helped give the home side a 21-0 lead, before Sam Simmonds extended that further with a fourth just five minutes into the second half.
The Stormers, marking their first-ever visit to Devon, were much-improved in the second period, claiming scores of their own through Damian Willemse, Suleiman Hartzenberg and Marvin Orie, but it was scant reward on a day when the Chiefs ruled supreme.
Further scores from Jack Yeandle and Tom Cairns helped put the seal on a famous victory for the Devonians, who now know they are just one game away from contesting European Rugby’s greatest prize.
After the nerve-jangling emotions of last weekend’s last-gasp victory over Montpellier, Baxter - not surprisingly - stuck with a largely unchanged squad for the visit of the South Africans. In the starting line-up, Woodburn returned at the expense of Rory O’Loughlin on the left wing, while on the bench there was a return to the fray for Stuart Hogg in place of Josh Hodge.
The Stormers, fresh from their victory over Harlequins in the heat of Cape Town seven days earlier, were also at full-strength, parading a powerful mix of Springbok quality across their match-day line-up.
It was, however, the Chiefs who set the early tone. Unlike against Montpellier where they were slow to start, the hosts were quickly into their stride this time round as early pressure almost released Sean O’Brien down the left, only for the play to be hauled back for a forward pass.+
Undeterred, the Devonians continued to press forward in number and their efforts were finally rewarded on 13 minutes. Woodburn created the foundations with a searing run down the left, but when he was chopped down midway inside the Stormers half, the Chiefs recycled at pace to Joe Simmonds, whose cross-field kick fell invitingly into the grasp of Wyatt, who did the rest with a simple finish.
Sandy Park duly erupted, but the faithful had further reason to cheer not long after as the Chiefs doubled their advantage.
With the Stormers struggling to contain what was a rampant Chiefs display, big carries from Dan Frost, Jannes Kirsten and Dafydd Jenkins helped to propel the home side deep into the visiting 22. With the Africans expecting the hosts to go wide, skipper Nowell caught them napping as he picked from the base of the ruck before powerfully driving his way to the line.
To say it was one-way traffic was not even debatable. The Chiefs were ruling the roost everywhere and when they won a penalty, which they kicked towards the left corner, they used the resulting set-piece to crafty a spectacular, first-phase opening that allowed Woodburn to cut through the middle and bag a third converted score.
Joe Simmonds could have added to the home side’s lead just before the break, but his long-range kick cannoned back off the right post, much to the relief of the Stormers who appeared to be still feeling the effects of their long haul trek from the Southern Hemisphere.
HALF TIME: EXETER CHIEFS 21 DHL STORMERS 0
The interval came at a great time for the Stormers, who desperately needed to use the 15 minute respite as a chance to regroup following a whirlwind first half performance from the Chiefs. Whatever was said, it appeared to have some effect as they re-emerged somewhat energised and certainly a more cohesive unit.
Unlike the first half, they started the second on the front with centre Dan du Plessis setting the tone almost from the outset. The Chiefs, though, were in no mood to surrender their line easily, soaking up the initial visiting threat, before then countering with a telling blow at the other end.
Turning defence into attack, Baxter’s side landed a fourth converted try when, following a sustained period of multi-phase rugby, they fashioned the opening for No.8 Sam Simmonds to charge through the middle and under the posts.
Four scores clear, the Stormers needed to summon some kind of response, otherwise it was going to be an even longer flight back to Cape Town tomorrow. To their credit, they did improve and they got themselves up and running on 52 minutes when, following a broken down scrum on the right, they worked the ball across the pitch to winger Seabelo Senatia, whose slip pass back inside allowed Willemse to touchdown.
It was the spark the visitors had craved and they used the score to ignite themselves into further attacks. Indeed, they thought they had scored again just five minutes later through Ruhan Nel. However, the centre - who was celebrating his 50th appearance for the club - saw his effort chalked off after French referee Mathieu Raynal adjudged skipper Steven Kitshoff had impeded Slade as he looked to get back to tackle.
A bit like the Chiefs in the opening half, the Stormers suddenly had a bit about themselves and when a chip kick from the base of a ruck by Herschel Jantjies fell invitingly into the grasp of winger Hartzenberg, he was able to race clear from halfway to score in the right-hand corner. Nowell did his best to get across and collar the speedster at the death, but his efforts did at least ensure the conversion attempt from wide out by was made all the more harder for fly-half Lubbock.
With the deficit down to just 18 points with nearly as many minutes left to play, the Stormers knew they had to go for broke. Whereas earlier the contest was certainly more structured, now it was more of a free-for-all where both sides were seemingly willing to give it a go.
The Chiefs, however, were far from done and when replacement Niko Abuladze won his side a scrum penalty midway inside the Stormers half, the hosts opted for the corner rather than the more simple kick at goal. It was a bold tactic, but it certainly paid dividends as Yeandle found his line-out jumper and when the shove came on, last week’s match-winner was again on hand to find his way over the whitewash, crashing down in front of a vociferous North Terrace.
Although the game was effectively done and dusted there and then, there was still time for two more scores. The first, claimed by the visitors, saw Orie get the benefit of the doubt in the corner after a Cairns clearance kick had been charged down.Then, Cairns atoned for his earlier error when he was able to finish off a final sucker punch from the Chiefs as man-of-the-match Woodburn helped pop the pass up to the scrum-half to score.
Job done, now the Chiefs just have to wait to see who they will face in the final four. It’s either holders La Rochelle or old foes Saracens who await. Whoever it is, you can bet your bottom dollar Baxter and his players will be relishing the task that lies ahead later this month.
Chiefs: T Wyatt; J Nowell (capt, S Hogg 62), H Slade, S O’Brien (H Skinner 65), O Woodburn; J Simmonds, W Becconsall (T Cairns 59); S Sio (N Abuladze 53), D Frost (J Yeandle 53), M Street (J Iosefa-Scott 53); J Gray, D Jenkins; J Kirsten (D Ewers 57), C Tshiunza (A Davis 53), S Simmonds.
Tries - Wyatt, Nowell, Woodburn, S Simmonds, Yeandle, Cairns; Conversion - J Simmonds (6)
Stormers: D Willemse; S Hartzenberg, R Nel (C Blommetjies 58), D Du Plessis, S Senatia; M Libbok, H Jantjies (P De Wet 62); S Kitshoff (capt, A Vermaak 69), J Dweba (JJ JKotze 50), F Malherbe (N Fouche 57); E Van Rhyn (G Porter 66), M Orie; J Pokomela (W Engelbrecht 40), BJ Dixon, M Theunissen (H Dayiman 40).
Tries - Willemse, Hartzenberg, Orie; Conversion - Libbok
Referee: M Raynal
Attendance: 12,007