THE CHIEFS TAKE COMMAND
ENGLAND men Jack Nowell and Sam Simmonds were on fire as Chiefs produced the perfect performance to book a Champions Cup semi-final spot.
Rob Baxter’s side blew Stormers away with an explosive first-half display and then had to hold on to defy a furious fightback from their South African rivals.
They will face the winners of today’s final last eight affair between Saracens and La Rochelle but will believe, on this impressive display, that they can pick up club rugby’s most prestigious prize for the second time.
Chiefs, the 2020 champions, produced their best performance of the season, sailing into a 21-0 half-time lead, roared on by a loud and noisy Sandy Park crowd.
Wing Olly Woodburn, who also grabbed a try, insisted: “We are going to lose some influential players at the end of this season so it would be special to win this trophy again. By the sound of the crowd, they believe we can.
“We have similar characters in the team to when we won it three years ago and we are building momentum.”
Stormers, who dumped Harlequins out in the previous round, staged a recovery but were soundly beaten.
Three tries in the opening half-hour saw the Devon men take a stranglehold on the contest.
Woodburn took centre stage to set up the first, pinning back his ears and racing 60 metres before the ball was recycled and Joe
Simmonds’ crossfield kick was perfect for full-back Tom
Wyatt, who caught it in his stride and strolled over for the opening try.
Nowell (below) then picked the ball up at the back of a ruck and showed his intuition. Having just needed treatment for a leg injury, he was fit enough to show his speed and power before grounding the ball for the second try.
Joe Simmonds was soon converting a third try when Woodburn demonstrated both his pace and clinical finishing.
Taking a pass at high speed, he raced through for another outstanding try.
Sam Simmonds took a pass in his explosive stride and the England No.8 was unstoppable as he charged over the line for the fourth try at the start of the second half..
Stormers finally struck their first blow, with full-back Damian Willemse crossing in the left corner.
If Chiefs thought the job was done, they were soon thinking again. Stormers had a try disallowed for obstruction by Steven Kitshoff but there was no problem about wing Suleiman Hartzenberg’s score in the right corner.
Replacement hooker Jack Yeandle put to bed any ideas the Chiefs might be about to throw it away with a try from a diving maul eight minutes from time.
There was a late flurry of late tries, with Marvin Orie for
Stormers and then Tom Cairns for Chiefs as the hosts completed a memorable win.