URC result: Stormers beat Dragons in Gqeberha

The Stormers clinched their sixth victory of the season with a 34-26 (halftime28-7) win over Dragons in their United Rugby Championship clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

It was an impressive attacking first half performance by the Cape Town-based side as they scored four tries with returning Springbok fly-half Mannie Libbok scoring one of the best tries so far this season.

The defending champions dominated up front and at the scrum, but also displayed confidence with keeping ball-in-hand.

The visitors got off the mark in the 40th minute with Jordan Williams intercepting to dot down. That try was a sign of things to come.

Losing shape

The Stormers lost their shape and were under pressure for significant parts of the second half as Dragons scored three tries, two of which were converted, to two penalty goals by Libbok.

The visitors struck first in the second stanza as Aki Seiuli crossed over in the 47th minute, but the Stormers extended their lead with a penalty goal by Libbok to take the score to 31-12

The hosts made efforts in attack and it paid off when wing Sio Tomkinson received a yellow card for cutting off a Stormers attack and Libbok took advantage to score his second penalty goal.

The Welsh side continued to pile on the pressure as fly-half JJ Hanrahan dotted down in 70th minute, with the successful conversion the deficit was reduced to 34-19.

The Dragons scored their fourth try of the match with Josh Reynolds diving over and the extra two points took the score to 34-26 in the final minutes of the game, but neither side were able to add on the score and the Capetonians earned another victory.

Scorers

Stormers: Tries – Junior Pokomela, Joseph Dweba, Ruhan Nel, Mannie Libbok; Conversions – Libbok (3), Clayton Blommetjies; Penaty goals – Libbok (2)

Dragons: Tries – Jordan Williams, Aki Seiuli, JJ Hanrahan, Josh Reynolds; Conversions – Hanrahan (2), Will Reed