It is fashionable for South African props to be the main attraction, and so it proved once again at the Cape Town Stadium with a player-of-the-match performance by Stormers loosehead Ntuthuko Mchunu.The Stormers pack pounded Cardiff from the first scrum and Mchunu was the pulse of a set piece that was immovable.They won 44-21 after leading 21-7 at half time.Cardiff beat the Stormers in Cardiff in the final league round a fortnight ago, but Stormers coach John Dobson had been bullish in his pre-match prediction that there would be no repeat of the passive performance in Cardiff.Dobson promised fire in the belly from his players, and they delivered on their coach’s confidence.Cardiff’s props were put through the ringer, and they lost two props to yellow cards and conceded several penalties.Stormers captain Ruhan Nel lauded the win as the perfect response to a poor ending to the league season. He felt there was improvement in discipline, decision-making and attitude.Cardiff, playing their first quarterfinal in the five-season history of the United Rugby Championship (URC), were brave but lacked the all-round quality to win away from home.Their home pitch is 3G, which favoured their style of play and negated their pack’s vulnerability. On grass, there was no place to hide. It was evident from the first set piece engagement that the afternoon will feel as long as the flight back home to the UK.Mchunu has prospered at loosehead prop, where his work rate, ball carry and accuracy in running lines have made for the complete package.Stormers kicked far more in Cape Town than they did in Cardiff and won the aerial contest. Fullback Damian Willemse and right wing Seabelo Senatla were big contributors to this facet of play, and both enjoyed strong afternoons.Senatla left the field with an injury, as did Stormers No 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Both were hurt while scoring tries, only one was awarded.Feinberg-Mngomezulu limped off after scoring the Stormers fourth try in the 51st minute and Senatla hurt his shoulder in the act of an incredible finish. The try was disallowed because of an earlier infringement.Stormers scored six tries and were held up a few times when over the line. But they were never troubled, even when Cardiff reduced the deficit to 26-21 going into the last quarter.It was then that the hosts found another gear; the passes started to stick, and Cardiff’s spirit was finally broken. Stormers will likely travel to Dublin to face defending champions Leinster in next weekend’s semifinal.Leinster were favoured to beat the Lions in the last quarterfinal, played late last night in Dublin.Stormers flank Paul de Villiers continued to make a Springboks statement with his ability to win turnovers, slow the ball down and play the classical openside flanker role.Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus included nine Stormers forwards in his national alignment squad and those individuals justified the national acknowledgement.