Defeat in Dublin for DHL Stormers

The DHL Stormers went down 36-12 in their Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with log-leaders Leinster in Dublin on Saturday night.

It was the DHL Stormers’ first-ever defeat against the Irish side in four seasons of Vodacom United Rugby Championship action.

The home side made a strong start with an early penalty from flyhalf Ross Byrne after Deon Fourie had won the ball at the breakdown followed by a try by wing Andrew Osbourne.

The DHL Stormers responded as their dominant scrum laid the platform before it was sent wide to wing Ben Loader to finish.

Manie Libbok’s touchline conversion brought them within three points and the rest of the first half was in the balance until Leinster came up with a try from hooker Dan Sheehan to take a 15-7 advantage into the break.

Leinster dominated territory in the second half and eventually found their way through as Jordie Barrett scored on the hour mark before Sheehan got his second shortly afterwards.

Osbourne grabbed an opportunistic second try and although the DHL Stormers had the final say with a try from Evan Roos courtesy of a well-worked line-out move, it was little more than a consolation.

The scorers:

For DHL Stormers:
Tries: Loader, Roos
Con: Libbok

For Leinster:
Tries: Osborne 2, Sheehan 2, Barrett
Cons: Byrne 4
Pen: Byrne

DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Deon Fourie (c), 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 André-Hugo Venter, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Wandisile Simelane.