Dominant Stormers sweep Sharks aside in URC clash

The Stormers put in a massive performance to deservedly beat the Sharks 20-10 in their United Rugby Championship match at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.

It was a low scoring encounter, but the Stormers were by far the better team and could have won by a bit more, if not for small errors in finishing which cost them in the end.

The Sharks will be disappointed with this performance, having allowed the Stormers to steal a draw from a game they should have won a week previous, and following that up with an inept display in Cape Town to leave with zero points.

The match got off to a very cagey and scrappy start as both teams looked to attack, and a host of handling errors led to a number of early scrums to both sides.

It took until the 20th minute for the first points of the match as the Sharks were awarded a penalty in the Stormers 22m, with flyhalf Tito Bonilla converting to put them up 3-0.

The Stormers then came charging back, coming close to scoring on two occasions as centres Ruhan Nel and Dan du Plessis both couldn’t find the final man with offloads, leading to the Sharks surviving.

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However, the momentum had fully shifted and the Stormers finally broke through the Sharks defence with two minutes to go to the break after a superb 50/22 from fullback Warrick Gelant setting up a line out for his team in the Sharks 22m.

The Stormers then attacked from the line out, spreading the ball to left wing Seabelo Senatla who showed some brilliant individual skill to grubber the ball past fullback Aphelele Fassi, re-gather it and score next to the posts, with flyhalf Manie Libbok adding the extras to put them up 7-3, which they took into halftime.

The home side then started the second half like they ended the first with Nel almost getting an early try after dotting down a Gelant grubber, but a knock on just before saw the score overturned.

Gelant then came close to scoring himself after a break from Senatla, but the Stormers had to settle for a 49th minute penalty from Libbok to stretch their lead to 10-3.

Four minutes later another 50/22, this time from the boot of Libbok led to their second try as they attacked from the line out, getting close before lock Adre Smith crashed over for the converted score.

The Sharks hadn’t been threatening but finally showed some magic in the 64th minute as Lukhanyo Am popped a good ball to his centre partner Jeremy Ward to make a break, offloading to replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams to run in a converted try next to the uprights to make it 17-10.

The Stormers then wanted another try, earning a few penalties in the Sharks 22m and opting for line outs, however a penalty for offsides right in front of the uprights led to Stormers captain Steven Kitshoff deciding to take the three, with Libbok slotting the kick to put them more than a converted score ahead which they held to the end.

Scorers

Stormers – Tries: Seabelo Senatla, Adre Smith. Conversions: Manie Libbok (2). Penalties: Manie Libbok (2)

Sharks – Try: Grant Williams. Conversion: Boeta Chamberlain. Penalty: Tito Bonilla