Last year their tour of South Africa hurt their challenge for top spot on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship log but thanks to their 28-17 win over the DHL Stormers at the Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday they will return home feeling in good health.
Add the five points they picked up here for scoring four tries to the two they picked up late in the game against the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban last week and the champions managed to pick up seven on the road and will go into the month-long international break feeling well pleased with their efforts.
It was a game played in sweltering early afternoon conditions in Stellenbosch and in truth both teams looked out on their feet at times.
But it was the visitors who survived it better and were more incisive and cohesive and clinical and deserved their win, which was their fourth in succession against the Stormers but their first at a Western Cape venue.
The Stormers weren’t helped by the injury that robbed them of Damian Willemse for the last two thirds of the game and that might have contributed to their disjointed look.
Another Springbok, Ben-Jason Dixon, went off much earlier than Willemse did. And if you add that to an extensive injury list that was showcased by the people sitting in front of press box, among them Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ben Loader and Evan Roos, plus of course players who weren’t here like Salmaan Moerat, Steven Kitshoff and Deon Fourie, and maybe it is understandable that the Stormers have only two wins from five starts this season.
HAD THEIR CHANCES
That should not be used as an excuse though in a competition where teams are often under-strength, and the Stormers did have their chances of following up last week’s win over Munster but just didn’t connect enough on the day against a team that showed the previous week just how good it is at creating and converting opportunities.
The first half delivered what you might expect from two teams that both love the offload game.
In the sense that there were opportunities missed and also opportunities grabbed by the opposition off mistakes.
It looked like the Stormers had opened the scoring when Dan du Plessis kicked through and Leolin Zas dotted down in the left corner as the hosts turned over a long period of pressure from Glasgow.
But the try was disallowed because of a knock-on at the genesis of the score, which was a whole lot of helter-skelter and much of it not far from the Stormers’ tryline.
No matter, Glasgow had one disallowed later in the game for a forward pass that was spotted by the TMO (as well as the 13 000 crowd in the 15 000 capacity stadium).
The Stormers did look like the stronger team around the period and just after the disallowed try, and they pressed hard until eventually fullback Warrick Gelant, who had a good game, popped up in the line and a scintillating offload sent Damian Willemse over for an easy try in the 33rd minute.
Warrick Gelant with the triple pump 🥵
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) October 26, 2024
A beautiful bit of skill to put Damian Willemse in for the try!@Vodacom #URC | #STOvGLA pic.twitter.com/YiLHABqccC
GAME CHANGING MOMENT
The Manie Libbok conversion made it 7-0 to the Stormers but Willemse injured himself in the act of scoring and it was one of those games where the Stormers conceded points immediately after every time they scored.
Libbok was penalised and yellow carded for a tap down as Glasgow built up with one of their promising hand to hand movements, and referee Andrew Brace had to consult with the TMO to see if he should award a penalty try.
It was decided that the Stormers had players covering, so the penalty try wasn’t awarded, but it hardly mattered as the attacking lineout set up by the penalty was in a great position for a team that prides itself on its mauling and they duly crossed for a try to hooker Johnny Matthews.
Adam Hastings converted and it was 7-all at halftime, with the Stormers destined to play the first seven minutes of the second half a man down.
As it turned out, it was just as Libbok returned that the Warriors produced another of those flash moments they are renowned for, with a kick sitting up perfectly in the right hand corner for Glasgow centre and captain Sione Tuipulotu to dot down the second Glasgow try.
The visitors were in the lead for the first time but the Stormers fought back when seven minutes later after a series of drives from an attacking lineout set up from a penalty, the ball was spun wide to the left and skipper Du Plessis had space as he found himself on the outside and cut inside and swivelled through a tackle to reach out and score.
The crowd enjoyed that one 😍
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) October 26, 2024
Manie Libbok 🤝 Dan du Plessis
@Vodacom #URC | #STOvGLA pic.twitter.com/IpdZUuA34B
Libbok kicked the conversion to level the scores and then a penalty with 15 minutes to go that edged the Stormers into a 17-14 lead.
Alas for the hosts, it happened again, almost immediately Glasgow scored again, this time Kyle Rowe running onto a grubber to score in the left corner.
The Stormers didn’t look like they were at the races after that, and former Sharks flanker Henco Venter made sure of the win by driving over near the posts.
Let it be said that it was a day that the Stormers were beaten at their own game, and in their own conditions.
It was uncomfortably hot, never mind for the players, but for the spectators too.
Scores
Glasgow Warriors 28 - Tries: Johnny Matthews, Sione Tiupulotu, Kyle Rowe and Henco Venter; Conversions: Adam Hasting 2 and Tom Jordan 2.
DHL Stormers 17 - Tries: Damian Willemse and Dan du Plessis; Conversions: Manie Libbok 2; Penalty: Manie Libbok.