Deon Fourie’s double helps Stormers to power-packed win over Harlequins

Harlequins had found one way to escape the foul weather at home during the week. They travelled 6,000 miles to Cape Town, swapping Strawberry Hill for Table Mountain and a game played in sweltering 30-degree heat in a majestic stadium.

Quins, led by Danny Care, were game opponents but a Stormers side with its all-Springbok front row, were always going to have a power game that would be difficult to cope with even after a week of acclimatisation in the sun and it is the Stormers who will meet the winners of Sunday’s match between Exeter and Montpellier. After the earlier dismantling of Munster by the Sharks, the South African sides have the air of guests who have been invited to the European party only to make off with all the booze.

The Stormers had already recorded emphatic wins over London Irish and Clermont at the DHL Stadium in the pool stages and Quins soon discovered that this citadel would be hard to storm. Quins had not laid a hand on the ball before the Stormers flanker Deon Fourie crossed their line after all of 55 seconds after a smart move down the blindside.

The breathless start continued with an instant retort from Quins, Alex Dombrandt crashing in the corner over from a lineout. The No 8 may not have had a happy Six Nations but he continues to thrive at club level. Marcus Smith’s conversion from the touchline helped settle those early nerves. Shrugs from the Stormers. They simply scored from a lineout of their own, captain Steven Kitshoff barging his way over. Three tries in eight minutes was a nightmare for any watching defence coaches but it was dream stuff for the marketing men.

Quins won a minor victory with a scrum won against the head and the visitors’ defence looked pretty resolute as the waves of