DHL Stormers take Reds down
The DHL Stormers secured a 40-22 victory over the Reds in the Vodacom Super Rugby clash at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
It was the DHL Stormers’ sixth win in their eighth match this season, and saw them consolidate their position at the top of the Africa Conference One.
The visitors struck early with a penalty from flyhalf Jake McIntyre after his opposite number Jean-Luc du Plessis was blown up for not rolling away in the tackle.
It did not take long for the DHL Stormers to respond, and an extended period of pressure in the Reds 22 wing Kobus van Wyk pounced on a loose ball to go over unopposed for the try which put them 7-3 up once converted by Du Plessis.
The DHL Stormers kept the pressure on, and after a few searching runs from the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Nic Groom they were able to score their second try as Leolin Zas forced his way over from close range to take their lead out to 14-3 after 20 minutes.
The Reds hit back with a try of their own from flank Liam Gill who scored under the poles from close range to cut the DHL Stormers’ lead to 14-10.
The DHL Stormers responded by camping in opposition territory, and the Reds eventually strayed offside which resulted in a penalty from the boot of Du Plessis which put them 17-10 up at the half-time break.
The visitors scored two tries early in the second half as first fullback Karmichael Hunt finished off a counter-attack from a charge down before Eto Nabuli added to tht shortly afterwards to give them the lead.
However, that lead did not last long as DHL Stormers scrumhalf Nic Groom scored next to the poles shortly afterwards to put his side 24-22 up.
That left the game right in the balance with 25 minutes to play, and DHL Stormers coach Robbie Fleck made a number of changes as Schalk Burger, JC Janse van Rensburg, Huw Jones, JD Schickerling and debutant Brandon Thomson all took to the field.
Thomson slotted three penalties after coming on to close out the game, with the third penalty also resulting in a yellow card for Reds prop Sam Talakai after repeated infringements from his side.
The DHL Stormers had the final say as Vincent Koch crossed for a try after the hooter following a searing run from Jones, to put the seal on a comfortable victory in the end.
The scorers:
For the DHL Stormers:
Tries: Van Wyk, Zas, Groom, Koch
Cons: Du Plessis 3, Thomson
Pens: Du Plessis, Thomson 3
For the Reds:
Tries: Gill, Hunt, Nabuli
Cons: McIntyre 2
Pen: McIntyre
Teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Rynhardt Elstadt, 3 Frans Malherbe (captain), 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Oli Kebble.
Replacements: 16 Mike Willemse, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Huw Jones, 23 Brandon Thomson.
Reds: 15 Karmichael Hunt, 14 Junior Laloifi, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Anthony Fainga’a, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 Nick Frisby, 8 Curtis Browning, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Hendrik Tui, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Ben Matwijow, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Andrew Ready, 1 James Slipper (captain).
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Michael Gunn, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Duncan Paia’aua, 23 Ayumu Goromaru.
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
