URC result: Stormers triumph over Edinburgh in Cape Town

A solid performance from the Stormers saw them claim a 28-17 (halftime 10-10) win over Edinburgh in their United Rugby Championship (URC) quarterfinal at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night.

It was a tight first half, with the Stormers leaving a few points out on the pitch, but a fast start to the second half coupled with some big defence then allowed them to ease to a comfortable win in the end to set up a home semifinal against Ulster, at 3pm, next Saturday.

Dream start

In the match it was a dream start for the home side, who worked their way into the visitors 22m, where flank Hacjivah Dayimani made the break, before flyhalf  Blair Kinghorn intercepted, only to fling the ball into the in goal area where fullback Warrick Gelant pounced to score.

The extras from flyhalf Manie Libbok gave them a 7-0 lead after just three minutes, but in a blow to the home side inside centre Rikus Pretorius, himself an injury replacement for Damian Willemse a day before the match, limped off with Sacha Mngomezulu coming on for his URC debut.

Edinburgh then hit back four minutes later as they got on the board through a penalty to fullback Emiliano Boffelli.

Libbok then responded with a penalty of his own in the 11^th minute, only for Edinburgh to get their opening try four minutes later.

After setting up a lineout deep in the Stormers 22m, Edinburgh set the maul and powered over the line as hooker Dave Cherry dotted down, with Boffelli’s extras making it 10-all after an action packed opening 15 minutes.

However both sides’ defences then closed up shop as neither could score another point over the rest of the half.

The Stormers should have scored a try in the 31^st minute after a break from Gelant, but with options on both sides he chose to go himself, only to be ankle tapped, with his offload then finding an Edinburgh defender chasing back as the visitors managed to clear.

Edinburgh eighthman Magnus Bradbury was then yellow carded in the 33^rd minute for a high tackle on his opposite number Evan Roos, but the home side were unable to make the extra man count as the visitors marshalled the final minutes to halftime well.

Second half

The home side then got the second half off to a flying start as a break from flank Deon Fourie ended with outside centre Ruhan Nel going over for a converted score.

A 52^nd minute penalty from Libbok was then followed a minute later by Gelant breaking the line and Roos following up to claim the loose ball and score, with Libbok missing an easy conversion leaving the score 25-10.

Edinburgh then made sure that they stayed in the game with a 56^th minute try, as a break into the Stormers 22m ended with scrumhalf Henry Pyrgos diving over, with Boffelli converting to cut the deficit to eight points.

A 68^th minute penalty to Libbok then moved the Stormers further ahead, as they looked to put some scoreboard pressure on the visitors, with the home side then seeing out the final 10 minutes comfortably.

Scorers

Stormers: Tries -Warrick Gelant, Ruhan Nel, Evan Roos; Conversions – Manie Libbok (2); Penalties – Libbok (3)

Edinburgh: Tries – Dave Cherry, Henry Pyrgos; Conversions – Emiliano Boffelli (2); Penalties – Boffelli