DHL Stormers overpower Cheetahs
The hosts, in action at home for the first time in 2015, led by 29-10 at half-time – having scored four excellent tries in the first half.
Outside centre Juan de Jongh – who looked sharp all night long – opened their account in the fifth minute and they never looked back from there, with hooker Scarra Ntubeni, inside centre Huw Jones (his second in two games) and scrumhalf Nic Groom also crossing in the opening period.
Although the DHL Stormers managed just one try in the second half – by left-wing Dillyn Leds – they were the better team on the night in most facets of play, the hosts impressing at scrum-time yet again and also on the ground and their backs looking incisive and skilful with ball in hand.
Flyhalves Demetri Catrakilis (four conversions) and Kurt Coleman (two penalties) missed just one kick between them to cap off a good night in front of a crowd of just under 9,000 at DHL Newlands.
The DHL Stormers will wrap up their pre-season preparations against the Boland Cavaliers at the Cape Town Stadium next Saturday (February 7).
The scorers:
For the DHL Stormers:
Tries: De Jongh, Ntubeni, Jones, Groom, Leyds
Cons: Catrakilis 4
Pens: Coleman 2
For the Cheetahs:
Tries: Cook, Hendricks 2, Burger
Cons: Du Plessis 2, Brummer 2
The teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (vice-captain), 12 Huw Jones, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Jurie van Vuuren, 20 Johnny Kotze, 21 Neil Rautenbach, 22 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 23 Louis Schreuder, 24 Kurt Coleman, 25 Jean Kleyn, 26 Robert du Preez, 28 EW Viljoen.
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Danie Dames, 10 Willie du Plessis, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Willie Britz (captain), 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Jean Cook, 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Armandt Koster, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Danie Mienie, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Francois Uys, 20 Lodewyk de Jager, 21 Tienie Burger, 22 Shaun Venter, 23 Francois Brummer, 24 Francois Venter, 25 Raymond Rhule, 26 Willie le Roux.
Referee: Jaco van Heerden
