LIVE: Dragons v DHL Stormers
The DHL Stormers will end their four-match European tour at Rodney Parade in Newport tonight where they are up against the Dragons in a Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash.
It is cloudy and cool in Newport in the south of Wales, but it looks like it will stay dry, so we should be in for a good game.
There are six changes to the DHL Stormers team this week, with Junior Pokomela making his debut on the flank along with five changes in the backline as Stefan Ungerer, Manie Libbok, Dan du Plessis, Ruhan Nel and Leolin Zas all come into the starting line-up.
Brok Harris leads the DHL Stormers out to a loud cheer from the Rodney Parade crowd. The veteran prop has over 100 caps for the Dragons and the home supporters never got to say goodbye due to the covid pandemic. Harris also has 95 DHL Stormers caps and he will be looking to make his last game on this ground a win.
0 – The kick-off is dropped by Ruhan Nel, so the Dragons have an early attacking opportunity from the scrum.
2 – Ball is knocked on in the tackle and goes dead so it is a drop-out from the tryline.
4 – Both teams kicking as they look for early territory.
6 – Pass from Manie Libbok called forward so the Dragons have another scrum just outside the 22. Scrum penalty awarded to the home side and they kick to the corner but Lewis misses and it goes dead.
11 – DHL Stormers take it through the phases, keeping the ball in hand, but can’t find a way through the defence yet.
13 – Line-out maul collapsed by the Dragons, so Libbok kicks for the corner but he misses. Dragons return the kick and Warrick Gelant land a 50:22, so DHL Stormers have an attacking line-out.
15 – They win a penalty in front of the poles, so Manie Libbok knocks it over to give them the lead at Rodney Parade.
18 – Dragons with a scrum and they go into the 22, but it is knocked loose in a tackle and cleared.
20 – Dragons come again and go wide, but some great defence and big hits and the ball is eventually lost forward so the DHL Stormers have a scrum inside their own half.
21 – Some incredible defence from the DHL Stormers and a big hit from captain Salmaan Moerat is judged to be high, so he is shown a yellow card and will sit out the next 10.
23 – DHL Stormers a man down and the Dragons take advantage with fullback Josh Lewis going through for the first try to give the home side the lead.
25 – DHL Stormers keep working hard on defence and force another knock-on, so they have another wscrum in their half.
28 – Dragons get a free kick at the scrum and then Pokomela is pinned down at the breakdown, so they kick the three to make it 10-3.
32 – Both teams kicking to look for territory. Moerat back on so DHL Stormers back to a full team.
34 – Ball lost forward at the breakdown, so Dragons have a scrum in their half this time.
36 – Dragons not rolling away at the breakdown, so Libbok steps up and kicks three more points to make it 10-6.
40 – Another breakdown penalty and another three points from the boot of Manie Libbok. That is half-time at Rodney Parade and there is just one point in it. Big second half coming up in Newport.
42 – DHL Stormers win the restart and play in the Dragons half as they look to take the lead. Ball is lost forward so the Dragons have a scrum.
45 – Dragons kick long and the DHL Stormers run it back. They get up to the 22 but it is lost forward so the Dragons have a scrum.
48 – More great defence from the DHL Stormers as they drive the Dragons back and force a pass into touch.
51 – Good defence from the Dragons this time and the ball is ripped off Evan Roos as the home side hold on under pressure.
53 – Both teams kicking and the Dragons knock it on in the 22, so the DHL Stormers have a great attacking opportunity from the scrum.
57 – Scrum penalty and the kick for the corner looking for a try. The advantage and penalties keep coming and they take a scrum right on the tryline.
62 – Many scrum resets and many resets with penalties. Final warning for the Dragons.
65 – DHL Stormers roll the dice with a grubber through from Warrick Gelant and the pay-off is big as Leolin Zas ‘Vegas’ goes through for a deserved try to give them a 14-10 lead.
68 – Both teams kicking and looking for territory, this game still in the balance here.
70 – DHL Stormers with an attacking line-out on the 22, but it is knocked on by scrumhalf Paul de Wet so Dragons have a scrum.
73 – Breakdown penalty won in front of the poles and Manie Libbok slots the kick to put the DHL Stormers seven points up.
76 – Dragons on the attack as they look o level it. They get a penalty and kick to the corner and maul it.
80 – Make that a double for Leolin Zas as the DHL Stormers turn defence into attack. A Dragons scrum in the 22 is turned and the wing kicks long and chases it down to score his second at the death. That seals a deserved 24-10 win.
