The Stormers overcame a scrappy, error-filled performance to beat Edinburgh 33-14 at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night.
John Dobson’s side scored five tries in total, claiming another vital bonus-point win in the Mother City.
The result keeps the Stormers in second spot on the URC log heading into the two-week Champions Cup break. They now travel to France to face Toulon in the Investec Champions Cup last 16.
FIRST HALF RECAP
The Stormers began brightly but undid their early work with a string of costly errors. A slip by Damian Willemse – who started on the wing – inside the 22 handed Edinburgh an early foothold in the match. From the resulting lineout maul, prop Ntuthuko Mchunu was yellow-carded for a deliberate knockdown just five minutes in.
The Stormers were sloppy with ball in hand and lost several lineout throws in the opening exchanges. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu also missed two penalty attempts, compounding the hosts’ frustration in front of their home crowd. The scrum, however, gave the Stormers a clear platform and was the one area where they held a firm edge.
The pressure eventually told in the 25th minute when No.8 Evan Roos crashed over for his eighth try of the season. The Stormers looked to build further, but Edinburgh had other ideas. Centre James Lang intercepted a Roos pass in the 33rd minute and sprinted 95 metres to dot down against the run of play. Ross Thompson’s conversion levelled the scores at 7-7, and that is how it stayed at the break.
SECOND HALF RECAP
The second half began much as the first had ended, with the Stormers’ error count continuing to mount. However, they found a way through despite the chaos, with Leolin Zas scoring from a quick throw-in and a sharp interchange of passes. Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed his third kick of the night, but the Stormers led 12-7 and were building again.
Edinburgh hit back almost immediately when replacement prop Boan Venter powered over from close range in the 58th minute. Thompson converted to give the visitors a surprise two-point lead, silencing the DHL Stadium crowd momentarily. The Stormers needed a response, and fullback Warrick Gelant provided it.
Gelant put Mchunu through a gap from 15 metres out, and the prop made no mistake to restore the lead. The Stormers suddenly found their attacking rhythm, and Roos was the next to benefit from another sharp Gelant pass. The No.8 burst through to score his second try of the night, drawing level at the top of the URC try-scoring charts with nine for the season.
Veteran flank Deon Fourie had the final say, dotting down in the closing seconds to the crowd’s great delight. The try sealed a dominant finish to what had been a far from polished display. Flank Paul de Villiers also caught the eye throughout, making several crucial steals that helped turn the tide in the Stormers’ favour.
The Stormers will know they cannot afford performances like this in the Champions Cup. But five tries and a bonus-point win is a solid return before the two-week break.
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