Exeter Chiefs rout Stormers to book semi-final spot

Exeter emphatically ended South African interest in this season's Heineken Champions Cup as they booked a semi-final place by beating the Stormers 42-17 at Sandy Park. The Chiefs, Champions Cup winners in 2020, will face La Rochelle or Saracens in the last four later this month after a six-try success. If reigning European champions La Rochelle beat Saracens on Sunday, the semi-final will be in Bordeaux, but a Saracens triumph would send a mouth-watering all-English showdown to Bristol City's Ashton Gate. Just a week on from a stamina-sapping victory over Montpellier that was decided on try count after extra-time, Exeter delivered an immense performance that saw them dominate every key area. The Stormers encountered difficulties travelling from Cape Town to Devon, and they were never in contention as Exeter posted tries during the first 30 minutes from full-back Tom Wyatt, captain Jack Nowell and his fellow wing Olly Woodburn, all converted by Joe Simmonds.

FULL MATCH DETAILS And when number eight Sam Simmonds scored just five minutes into the second half, again converted by the fly-half, it effectively ended the contest, before Jack Yeandle and Tom Cairns crossed for late tries that Joe Simmonds improved. The Stormers were more accomplished after the break, claiming tries from full-back Damian Willemse, wing Suleiman Hartzenberg and lock Marvin Orie, plus one Manie Libbok conversion, but the damage had long been done as the Chiefs marched on. Exeter showed one change following a thrilling quarter-final victory over French champions Montpellier, with Woodburn returning to the starting line-up, while Scotland star Stuart Hogg featured among the replacements after recovering from an ankle injury. Stormers, conquerors of