Stormers well beaten by Exeter in Champions Cup quarter-final

The home side won 42-17 at a packed Sandy Park in the south west of England on Saturday.

Exeter enjoyed the bulk of possession and territorial advantage in the first half and were clinical at the start of the game, both on defence and attack, where they managed to vary their play to cause the Stormers some issues.

To compound matters for the visitors, they slipped too many tackles, their tactical kicking wasn't up to scratch and their discipline was also lacking a bit. As a result, the Chiefs scored three converted tries in the first 30 minutes as their speedsters Tom Wyatt, Jack Nowell and Olly Woodburn went over.

Wyatt's try came from a pin-point cross kick after the Capetonians' defence was stretched; Nowell left two tacklers in his wake as he sniped around a ruck; and Woodburn rounded off a clever move off the back of an attacking lineout.

The Stormers started the second half with more purpose, but it was England No 8 Sam Simmonds who stretched Exeter's lead to 28-0 with a try that exploited some more weak defence from the visitors.

The Capetonians refused to give up though and when Springbok utility back Damian Willemse scored their first try in the 53rd minute, there was a spring in their step.

Ruhan Nel went over six minutes later, but the TMO spotted obstruction earlier in the move. That didn't stop the Stormers though and Suleiman Hartzenberg scored their second try from a clever kick by Herschel Jantjies in the 61st minute.

Unfortunately Bok flyhalf Manie Libbok missed both conversions, and Exeter's lead remained more than two converted tries with time running out. The hosts didn't flinch either, and despite the Stormers flurry, they remained focused on the task at hand, sticking to their guns until Jack Yeandle was driven over in the 74th minute to all but seal the deal.

Springbok lock Marvin Orie got his name on the score-sheet win the 77the minute from a charge down and after a long deliberation with the TMO, the referee awarded the try, which Libbok converted, but it was too little too late, especially after Tom Cairns got a sixth try for the hosts shortly thereafter.