DHL Stormers too strong for Sunwolves
The DHL Stormers scored four tries in a comfortable 31-18 victory against the Sunwolves at DHL Newlands on Saturday.
It was the fifth home win of the season for the DHL Stormers and will give them crucial momentum heading into their coastal derby against the Cell C Sharks in the final round of the league phase of the competition next week.
The Sunwolves opened the scoring with a penalty from Hayden Parker, who would kick another one just before half-tim, but in between those three-pointers the DHL Stormers scored two good tries.
Hooker Bongi Mbonambi broke away from a maul and burst through before stretching to score the first.
The second try came as a product of good defence, as Dan Kriel ripped the ball off the Sunwolves on halfway before getting it away to his centre partner JJ Engelbrecht who put wing Craig Barry over.
Both tries were converted by flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis to put the DHL Stormers 14-6 up at the break after an efficient first half.
The opening stage of the second half was scrappy, with neither side able to assert themselves until the DHL Stormers came up with a third try.
A good kick by replacement scrumhalf Jano Vermaak was chased down by Craig Barry and No.8 Jaco Coetzee made a good run before dummying his way over for the try.
The Sunwolves finally got over the tryline, with fullback Semisi Masirewa running a good angle to score under the poles, but the DHL Stormers responded immediately with a penalty from replacement flyhalf Josh Stander to make it 24-13 heading into the final 15 minutes.
Coetzee got his second try from a powerful driving maul, but the Sunwolves hit straight back with a second from Masirewa.
VIDEO: Watch to see which DHL Stormer can play golf
The scorers:
For DHL Stormers:
Tries: Mbonambi, Barry, Coetzee 2
Cons: Du Plessis 3, Stander
Pen: Stander
For Sunwolves:
Tries: Masirewa 2
Con: Parker
Pens: Parker 2
DHL Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Craig Barry, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Edwill van der Merwe (DHL Stormers debut), 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Jaco Coetzee, 7 Johan du Toit, 6 Ernst van Rhyn, 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 David Meihuizen (DHL Stormers debut), 20 Chris Massyn (DHL Stormers debut), 21 Jano Vermaak, 22 Josh Stander, 23 EW Viljoen.
Sunwolves: 15 Semisi Masirewa, 14 Gerhard Van Den Heever, 13 Josh Timu, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Hosea Saumaki, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Jamie Booth, 8 Ben Gunter, 7 Shuhei Matsuhashi, 6 Ryota Hasegawa, 5 Tom Rowe, 4 Mark Abbott, 3 Conan O’Donnell, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 Alex Woonton
Replacements: 16 Takuya Kitade, 17 Masataka Mikami, 18 Takuma Asahara, 19 Yuya Odo, 20 Masakatsu Nishikawa, 21 Keisuke Uchida, 22 Timothy Lafaele, 23 Akihito Yamada.
