Stormers score bonus-point win over Connacht

THE Stormers got their United Rugby Championship title defence off to a winning start with a bonus-point 38-15 win over Connacht in Stellenbosch on Saturday.

The Stormers missed the first week of action as they had a bye in the opening round, but they didn't let that hold them back as they secured a win nonetheless in a challenging outing.

The home side got off to a bruising start after the first scrum of the game as the barnstorming Evan Roos – who delivered a beast of a performance – scored in the corner after breaking the line and making sure that the last defender in his way humbly sat down. Flyhalf Manie Libbok made it a full-point try in the fifth minute to take an early lead (7-0).

The Stormers owned the opening 10 minutes of the clash, but Connacht made their presence felt from there on, and the Stormers allowed them to get into the game.

The Irish side got their first points a couple of minutes later when flyhalf Conor Fitzgerald connected a penalty to take the score to 7-3, but the Stormers stretched their early lead to double figures when Libbok hit his target off the tee after the visitors were penalised for being offside (10-3).

While Connacht took control in the second quarter as John Dobson's side did themselves no favours with their high error rate, Libbok made sure that their side of the scoreboard kept moving as he slotted a monster of a kick to go 13-3 up in the 26th minute.

The Stormers' task got a little tougher when lock Marvin Orie was yellow carded, and their lineout woes and Connacht's strong mauling saw the Irish take full advantage just before half time, when hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin went over for an unconverted try (13-8).

While the teams scored a try each in the first 40, the Stormers mentor would have wanted big improvement from his side in the second half.

The Stormers earned the first points after the break in the 44th minute when Libbok found the black dot again, and his second conversion opened the floodgates. A red card to Connacht for making contact with Seabelo Senatla's head proved the final blow.

Stormers hooker Andre-Hugo Venter finished off sensational piece of interplay between backs and forwards to go over the whitewash, and Hacjivah Dayimani added his name to the scoresheet after some good work by Angelo Davids.

Connacht responded in the final 10 minutes with a try, but Stormers loose forward Marcel Theunissen went over after a strong driving maul by the home side to secure the bonus-point try.

The Stormers will face Edinburgh at Cape Town Stadium next weekend.