Stormers to Face Glasgow Away in URC Quarterfinal After Fourth-Place Finish

The DHL Stormers are heading into a high-stakes Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) quarterfinal away from home after missing out on the opportunity to host in Cape Town. Their final standing in fourth place means they must now travel to Scotland for a showdown with the Glasgow Warriors, Cape {town} Etc reports.

Despite finishing their league campaign with a confident victory over Cardiff, John Dobson’s men needed other results to go their way to secure a home playoff. All eyes were on Dublin, where the Stormers hoped for a Glasgow victory over Leinster. That dream nearly came true — the Warriors pushed hard and trailed by just five points late in the game — but a late Leinster penalty ended those hopes and locked in the Stormers’ travel plans.

The quarterfinal clash will be held at Scotstoun Stadium — the same venue where the Stormers narrowly defeated Glasgow in last year’s playoffs. However, the landscape has shifted. Glasgow appear revitalised and much sharper than the side that suffered a humiliating 52-0 defeat to Leinster just over a month ago in the Champions Cup.

A key boost for the Scottish outfit has been the return of star centre Sione Tuipulotu, who looked dangerous in his comeback appearance against Leinster. His presence will pose a major threat in midfield, and the Stormers defence will need to be on high alert.

Coach Dobson is fully aware of the scale of the challenge ahead. Playing away from home in knockout rugby is never easy, and with Glasgow riding a wave of renewed confidence, the Stormers will need a complete performance — from set-pieces to discipline — if they are to keep their title hopes alive.

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Sourced:Cape Town ETC

Picture: Gallo Images