Six-try DHL Stormers brush off Benetton
The DHL Stormers scored six tries to end the regular Vodacom United Rugby Championship season with a 38-22 win against Benetton in Stellenbosch on Friday night.
The home side pulled away after half-time to claim a bonus point win and head into the play-offs with some real momentum.
The DHL Stormers will host a quarterfinal at DHL Stadium on Saturday, 6 May, with the opposition to be determined after the final weekend of league fixtures.
The visitors opened the scoring with a penalty from flyhalf Tomas Albanorz, but the DHL Stormers brought the festive crowd right into it when they scored the opening try.
A pinpoint cross-kick from Manie Libbok founds its target in Angelo Davids and the wing finished in style.
Benetton took the lead back when flank Alessandro Izekor scored a runaway try which came from a turnover in the 22, but it was the home side that took the lead into half-time as flank Willie Engelbrecht scored just before the break.
Engelbrecht scored his second try just after half-time, crashing over to finish a flowing move which featured both forwards and backs handling the ball.
The bonus point was in the bag when hooker JJ Kotze barged over after another dominant maul and the backs followed that up with some impressive running to set up Clayton Blommetjies for the fifth.
The visitors scored their second try by flank Manuel Zuliani, but the DHL Stormers responded immediately with a maul try from replacement Marcel Theunissen.
Benetton had the final say with a late penalty try, but it had no impact on the final result.
The scorers:
For DHL Stormers:
Tries: Davids, Engelbrecht 2, Kotze, Blommetjies, Theunissen
Cons: Libbok 4
For Benetton:
Tries: Izekor, Zuliani, penalty try
Con: Albanorz
Pen: Albanorz
DHL Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Hacjivah Dayimani, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Ben-Jason Dixon, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Ruhan Nel.
