No fairytale finish at DHL Newlands
The Sharks converted their 19-10 half-time lead into a valuable away win ahead of next weekend’s play-offs, whilst, for the DHL Stormers, it was just their second loss since May after a superb ending to the season – including their dramatic win over the Sharks in Durban.
It also means the Stormers will finish the season in eleventh position, after their first home defeat to a South African franchise since the 2012 Super Rugby play-offs, when, ironically, they lost to the selfsame Sharks.
Sadly, the hosts – whose only try was scored by Nizaam Carr in the first half – were unable to come away with a win in Peter Grant and Gio Aplon’s last matches for the DHL Stormers at DHL Newlands, but this defeat should not take the gloss off their achievements for the Cape franchise.
Of course, hooker/flank Deon Fourie is also departing for France at the end of the season but he was not able to play this evening because of a hamstring injury. He was, however, in the crowd on Saturday evening.
This match was the DHL Stormers’ final match of 2014 and DHL Western Province will now turn their attention towards the Absa Currie Cup which gets underway in early August.
* CLICK HERE for the final 2014 Vodacom Super Rugby standings.
The scorers:
For the DHL Stormers:
Try: Carr
Con: Coleman
Pens: Coleman
For the Sharks:
Tries: Jordaan, Sithole, Ungerer
Cons: Steyn 2
Pens: Steyn 5
The teams:
DHL Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Schalk Burger (captain), 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Pat Cilliers, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Alistair Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Martin Dreyer, 19 Manuel Carizza, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Peter Grant, 23 Seabelo Senatla.
Sharks: 15 SP Marais, 14 Sibusiso Sithole , 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Paul Jordaan, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Francois Steyn, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis (captain), 1 Thomas du Toit.
Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Jean Deysel, 21 Stefan Ungerer, 22 Fred Zeilinga, 23 Tonderai Chavhanga.
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
TMO: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
