This week the Stormers get the pick of the week on the back of their first win on tour over the Melbourne Rebels. The Stormers started the better side and were rewarded just 3 minutes into this one with the rebels making a mistake in their own territory and coughing up the ball. The ball rolled to Dylan Leyds and he put on some excellent individual skill to beat 3 or 4 players to easily score 7-0 to the stormers. The rebels would strike back after getting a foothold in the game and playing the game in Stormers territory. They got a penalty in the 22nd minute which Quade Cooper duly slotted. The Stormers would take back the 3 point advantage just 3 minutes later with a penalty from Jean-Luc Du Plessis 10-3 Stormers. That would be it as far as the scoring of points is concerned for the first half although things could have been different with the Rebels butchering a certain try when Quade Cooper kicked to the corner but the winger was unable to catch a pretty simple ball bringing the score to 10-3 Stormers at half time. The Stormers showed great defense to keep the Rebels out towards the end of the first half.
The second half and the Rebels would replicate the start of the Stormers in the first half and score early. In the first minute of the second half to be exact as Reece Hodge crossed the try line after a mistake from the Stormers fly half as he threw a long looping pass towards Damian Willemse and Hodge came between man and ball to go in under the posts 10-10 and this one was setting up to be a classic. The Stormers would be the next team to score after great work from the Stormers backs quick hands saw Damian Willemse into a gap and Willemse found Juarno Augustus who went in near the corner. Du Plessis nailed the conversion 17-10 Stormers 48 minutes gone. The Stormers would cross the whitewash yet again 3 minutes later. The Stormers would take advantage of a mistake by the Rebels winger who kicked the ball out on the full, giving the Stormers great field position. From the resulting lineout Dylan Leyds spotted a gap in the defense and almost went straight through but he managed to get a great pass away with 2 men on him as he put Damian De Allende in for a relatively easy score with only Quade Cooper to beat 24-10. Now the score and the Stormers were beginning to take control of this one. The Stormers would add to their try tally with Scarra Ntubeni, the replacement hooker doing great work off the back of a rolling mall. He found some space and exploited it beautifully, the fly half which was now Josh Stander put in a speculative kick which was tipped by a Rebel hand that made the catch a difficult one for Quade Cooper at the back. He couldn’t make the catch, knocking the ball into the path of Ruan Nel who cantered over the line for the stormers 4th try. 31-10 and the Stormers were running away with this one. Stander added another 3 points 4 minutes later to take the score out to 34-10 and the Rebels were in deep trouble. The Rebels would come back in this one fairly late, in the 68th minute as they put the Stormers under pressure with a lineout close the try line. From the resulting line out the ball came off the top and Will Genia saw a gap in the Stormers defense and ghosted straight through. Cooper added the extra 2 points and the Rebels now with a slim chance of a comeback with just over ten minutes to play. The Rebels desperate managed to get a turnover in Stormers territory and took the resulting penalty quickly. Quade Cooper threw a wide pass to his left winger who beat a couple players before laying the ball back to Cooper who then showed great touch with a pop pass to Campbell Magnay who finished off a great move. Cooper duly added the extras and with 3 minutes to go, a slim glimmer of hope for the Rebels. With the Rebels throwing caution to the wind they made an error in trying to get the ball wide, Ruan Nel read what they were trying to do and intercepted a pass and ran in the try. Stander added the 2 points and that was that in Melbourne. The game ended with the Stormers running out to a comfortable victory in this one.
Lions vs Brumbies
The Lions took on the Brumbies in Canberra with both sides not having the tournament they had envisioned; this would be a good battle. The Lions would score the first try in this one through Aphiwe Dyantyi but the Brumbies replied with 3 tries of their own from Locky McCaffrey, Toni Pulu and Tevita Kuridrani to lead the lions 19 -8 at half time.
The Second half would see the visitors score first as Elton Jantjies looked to spark a comeback for the away side but it wasn’t to be as the Brumbies would run in two more tries through Thomas Banks and Tom Wright to take full control of the game again. There was a late consolation for the Lions and Sylvian Mahuza went over with ten minutes remaining but it proved irrelevant as the Brumbies would run out 31-20 victors on the day.
Sharks vs Jaguares
The Jaguares were looking for yet another South African scalp after beating the Bulls the week before. The Jaguares started off the better team as they scored early on in this one with Tomas Cubelli going over. The Sharks replied with a try of their own from Hyron Andrews but it would be the Jaguares to wrestle the initiative in the game and score 2 more tries in the first half through Pablo Matera and Matias Orlando for the Jaguares to lead at the break 21-10.
Second half and the Jaguares would put in a dominating performance running in 4 tries to the Sharks 1 in the second half. The tries for the Jaguares coming from Pablo Matera, Matias Moroni and Matais Orlando would finish things off with 2 more tries to complete the hat-trick. The Sharks didn’t trouble the scorers much with just the one try from Aphelele Fassi as the Sharks would suffer a humiliating defeat at home 51-17. More head scratching for the Sharks who put 40 points on the Lions the previous week.
Bulls vs Reds
The Bulls looking to bounce back after a surprise loss to the Jaguares the week before faced a Reds team that got one over the Stormers in their backyard in Queensland, this one promised to be an interesting clash. The Bulls played a better first half running in 2 tries to lead the Reds 13-3 at half time. The tries coming from Lizo Gqoboka and Marco Van Staden. The Reds needing to play catch up in the second half.
The second half saw a fast start from the Bulls as Handre Pollard went over in the first minute to take the score out to 20-3 and the Reds now in real trouble. The Reds would be next to score in the game through Samu Kerevi but the Bulls would edge away from their opponents once again and score two more tries through Hanro Liebenberg and Jade Stighling. The Bulls were now in full control of the match. The Reds would add a late try of their own from Kerevi once again but it would prove to be too little too late as the Bulls would get a comfortable home victory in front of the Loftus faithful 32-17 the final score.
