Stormers narrowly edge Leinster: Three talking points

A lacklustre performance from the Stormers saw them just edge an understrength Leinster 20-13 in their top-of-the-table United Rugby Championship match at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night.

The Stormers did outscore Leinster three tries to one, but the visitors were in the match throughout and showed exactly how important sealing top of the table was when they turned down a chance to draw the match.

After winning a penalty after the full-time hooter on halfway, Leinster chose to tap and kick the ball out, which gave them the losing bonus point to seal top spot with a game to play, while denying the Stormers a chance of a bonus point that would have kept them in the hunt.

Here are three more talking points from the match.

Flat first half

It was a flat first half from the Stormers that saw them trailing at the break after initially getting off to a flying start. Within the first minute of the match outside centre Ruhan Nel went over to score. However the ref asked the TMO to have a look at the build-up and adjudged Deon Fourie to have blocked a tackler, with the effort chalked off. That was pretty much the closest either side came to dotting down in the first half as it was left to the kickers to provide the points with one penalty to Manie Libbok and two to Ciaran Frawley.

Incredible Leinster defence

With Leinster having conceded a yellow card early in the second half the Stormers started to find gaps in the visitors defence, but some amazing tryline scrambling kept the Stormers out three times. First wing Seabelo Senatla was put away for what looked to be a definite try, but brilliant cover defence from Rob Russell saw him tackle Senatla into touch. Flank Hacjivah Dayimani went over from close range, but timed his dive wrong and was subsequently held up. Finally A grubber through from Manie Libbok had Gelant in, but a Leinster defender got a hand in leading to a knock on instead.

Yellow cards prove the difference

In the end it was two second-half yellow cards to Leinster that proved the difference in the match as the Stormers took full advantage. The first to Leinster hooker John Mckee saw them go a man short in the backline as the Stormers immediately called for a scrum with a backline player replaced. This left space out wide and the home side dotted down twice in the right hand corner through Warrick Gelant and Seabelo Senatla to cash in while he was off. The second was then after a dominant Stormers maul was rumbling over, scrumhalf Cormac Foley pulled down the maul leading to a penalty try that put them seven points ahead which they held onto the rest of the game.

Scorers

Stormers: Tries – Warrick Gelant, Seabelo Senatla, Penalty Try. Penalties – Manie Libbok

Leinster: Try – Ed Byrne; Conversion – Harry Byrne. Penalties – Ciaran Frawley (2)