URC result: Stormers gamble backfires after Leinster mauling

The Stormers gamble to hold their star players back for their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against Leinster backfired spectacularly as the hosts cruised to a thumping 36-12 bonus point win at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday night.

A week ago the Stormers played a weakened side in their final Champions Cup pool match against Racing 92, with the resulting loss dumping them out of the competition.

They were clearly putting all the focus on their game against the Irish giants, as Deon Fourie, Manie Libbok, Ben-Jason Dixon, Warrick Gelant, Ruhan Nel and Leolin Zas, who all sat out the Racing game, returned to the starting 15.

Leinster were also slightly weakened by them missing a slew of Irish internationals taking part in a training camp in Portugal ahead of the Six Nations.

However they still had a host of internationals available for selection and they made a big difference as hooker Dan Sheehan, inside centre Jordie Barrett, lock RG Snyman and wing James Lowe all put in top performances in helping them claim an easy win in the end.

The Stormers were extremely poor in the lineouts once again, and were incredibly ill-disciplined, with them penalised 17 times to eight for the hosts, which also played a big part in the defeat.

Tight first half

The first half was a tight affair, but Leinster were still the better side as they took the lead through fourth minute penalty to flyhlaf Ross Byrne.

Seven minutes later they were in for their first try as they hammered away on the Stormers line before spreading the ball, with Barrett earning space for wing Andre Osbourne to receive and go over for the converted score.

In the 20^th minute the Stormers hit back after a big scrum in Leinster’s 22m allowed them to spread the ball, with good hands from Libbok and Gelant getting the ball to wing Ben Loader to go over for the converted try making it 10-7.

As in their game against Racing, the Stormers fell asleep at the end of the half and allowed Leinster in for a late score, with a lovely move ending with Lowe getting the ball to Sheehan to run into the corner for a 15-7 lead at the break.

Streaked away

It was a scrappy start to the second half with neither side able to gain the upper hand, but once Leinster got over in the 57^th minute after Barrett received a flat pass to dive over, it saw three tries in 10 minutes as the hosts streaked away.

Sheehan scored his second after a wonderful cross kick from Byrne, while Osbourne also got his double after the Stormers turned the ball over on their own line, only for Nel to try spark a counter, but throw the ball straight to the Leinster winger to drop over the try line for an embarrassing score.

Byrne slotted all three kicks which put Leinster into a massive lead with 13 minutes remaining, but the Stormers did manage to have the final say as eighthman Evan Roos crashed over just before the full time hooter for a consolation score.

Scorers

Leinster: Tries – Andrew Osbourne (2), Dan Sheehan (2), Jordie Barrett; Conversions – Ross Byrne (4); Penalty – Byrne

Stormers: Tries – Ben Loader, Evan Roos; Conversion – Manie Libbok