Champions Cup: Stormers ease past 13-man London Irish while Edinburgh secure impressive win at Castres

The Stormers took advantage of an ill-disciplined London Irish side as they sealed a 28-14 Champions Cup triumph at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday.

Irish had two players sent off, with both Ben Loader and Ciaran Parker dismissed for connecting with the head of Manie Libbok and Deon Fourie, respectively.

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The South Africans were already in the ascendency thanks to a penalty try when Loader was red-carded. They then touched down twice more through Ruhan Nel and Suleiman Hartzenberg for a 21-0 lead at the break.

An already difficult task then got even harder for the Exiles when Parker received his marching orders, and the visitors benefited from the two-man advantage through Angelo Davids’ effort.

Credit must go to the hosts, who continued to battle and reduced the arrears thanks to a penalty try and a Danilo Fischetti score, but the game was already gone by that point.

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Early pressure was invited when Rory Jennings’ attacking kick was charged down by Ruhan Nel, and the Stormers almost scored on the breakaway but juggling wing Hartzenberg could not keep hold of the ball.

They were more successful in the 14th minute as the Premiership’s ninth-placed side conceded a penalty and then free-kick, allowing the Stormers to turn the screw through their set-piece.

Not only did referee Ludovic Cayre award a penalty try for illegally bringing down the maul, the culprit, Juan Martin Gonzalez, was sent to the sin-bin.

Irish’s defence was carved open by the Stormers’ backs, and although Davids’ try was ruled out because of a forward pass, Libbok had been hit high by Loader, and the full-back was sent-off.

🟥 Ben Loader red-carded for this tackle on Manie Libbok.#HeinekenChampionsCup #LIRvSTO
pic.twitter.com/MsldkYjIdA

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) January 15, 2023

Nel was dominating the midfield, and it was aggressive defending that forced a turnover, enabling the big centre to pick off Jennings’ pass and gallop home.

Irish’s one-man deficit was exploited with intelligence, and the third try arrived just before the interval when Sacha Mngomezulu grubbered for Hartzenberg to gather and touch down.

Fired up by a chastening first-half, the Exiles’ pack pressed on the visiting line but in the 43rd minute disaster struck for the second time when Parker was shown a red card for a dangerous clear out on Fourie.

Davids ran in the Stormers’ fourth after Irish were stripped of the ball, but the home side were finally off the mark in the 50th minute through a line-out drive that saw Cayre award a second penalty try with prop Steven Kitshoff sent to the sin-bin.

Ben White touched down, but the score was ruled out, summing up the English club’s wretched afternoon, but Fischetti went over with two minutes left to reward the fight shown in the closing stages.

Edinburgh qualify for last-16 with superb win over Castres

Edinburgh secured their passage into the knockout stages of the Champions Cup after overcoming Castres 34-21.

It was an impressive win for the Scottish outfit, who opened the scoring through Dave Cherry.

Josaia Raisuqe levelled matters before Adrien Seguret took the hosts into the lead.

Although Viliame Mata responded for the visitors, Castres went into the break 21-14 ahead when Wilfrid Hounkpatin crossed the whitewash.

However, they would not score a point in the second period as Edinburgh took control. Cameron Hutchinson got them back into the contest before Ben Vellacott’s try sealed the bonus point.

Blair Kinghorn then kicked two penalties in the final 15 minutes to confirm the triumph and move them into the last 16 of the Champions Cup.

Edinburgh came into this encounter having struggled to gain any momentum despite a narrow victory over bottom-of-the-table Zebre in the United Rugby Championship.

Castres were in a similar position and had not recorded a win in any competition since the start of December, when they beat Pau in French rugby’s Top 14.

But the game started with both sides playing with real attacking endeavour in contrast to the struggles they have endured in their respective domestic leagues.

Edinburgh opened the scoring when Cherry crashed over after a driving lineout, converted by Kinghorn who was then yellow-carded for a professional foul on his own line.

The home side took full advantage when flanker Raisuqe latched onto a grubber kick to score the French side’s first try, converted by fly-half Benjamin Urdapilleta to make it 7-7.

Centre Seguret crossed from short range for Castres’ second try, which Urdapilleta converted to make it 14-7, but Edinburgh replied when Mata crossed for a try after a period of pressure. Kinghorn’s conversion made it all level again.

Castres then crossed for their third try with prop Hounkpatin powering over as Edinburgh struggled to deal with the French side’s forward power. Urdapilleta added the conversion.

Edinburgh went in 21-14 behind at half-time with everything to play for after an entertaining first 40 minutes.

After the break, Edinburgh made the perfect start to the second half when Hutchison took advantage of some sloppy defence and crossed for the Scottish side’s third try. Kinghorn added the extras to level the scores.

Vellacott then weaved his way to cross for Edinburgh’s fourth try and Kinghorn converted to make it 28-21 midway through the second half.

Kinghorn then added a pair of penalties to extend his side’s lead to 13 points and ensure they would not be caught.