DHL Stormers win Perth scrap
The visitors, looking for back to back wins in Australia for the first time since 2012, started strongly to lead by 10-3 after ten minutes.
A powerful scrum from the DHL Stormers – an area they dominated all night long – gave them a deserved penalty try to lead by seven points, that after a penalty by Demetri Catrakilis had put the Men from the Cape ahead by 3-0 after one minute of action.
The DHL Stormers led 10-6 at half-time and although they scored just three points in the second half – via a Kurt Coleman penalty goal – they were deserved winners, despite a fierce onslaught from the hosts in the last four minutes.
The DHL Stormers will now head home – they land in Cape Town on Monday morning – having picked up 10 points on their tough four-match tour of New Zealand and Australia, a more than useful return for the 2011 and 2012 SA Conference leaders.
The victory, the DHL Stormers’ sixth of the season, also sees them return to the summit of the SA Conference log (with two games left to play in Round Ten) – that on a weekend which saw the unbeaten Hurricanes slip up at home to the Waratahs. Of course, just last week the DHL Stormers recorded an impressive 32-18 bonus point win over the selfsame ‘Tahs in Sydney.
“It wasn’t pretty, but we will take the four points,” said a slightly disappointed-looking DHL Stormers skipper Juan de Jongh afterwards.
“It was a tough game, the Force kept the ball very well – so credit to our defence, but we’re looking forward to being back at home (against the Bulls) next weekend.
“A 50% return from a tough tour like this isn’t too bad, but we’re obviously looking forward to heading home after four weeks on the road.”
The DHL Stormers will host the Vodacom Bulls at DHL Newlands next Saturday (April 25 – kick-off 19h10). CLICK HERE to buy your tickets!
The scorers:
For the Western Force:
Pens: Burton 2
For the DHL Stormers:
Try: Penalty try
Con: Catrakilis
Pens: Catrakilis, Coleman
The teams:
Western Force: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Kyle Godwin, 12 Luke Burton, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Steve Mafi, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Sam Wykes (captain), 3 Tetera Faulkner, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pekahou Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Chris Heiberg, 18 Oliver Hoskins, 19 Ross Haylett-Petty, 20 Angus Cottrell, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Marcel Brache.
DHL Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Schalk Burger (vice-captain), 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones.
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant referees: Andrew Lees, Will Houston
TMO: Ian Smith
