Stormers extinguish Dragons’ late fire

THE Stormers mixed and matched their team and still played some outstanding rugby to claim a 34-26 bonus-point victory over the Dragons in Gqeberha yesterday.

John Dobson’s side attained their four-try bonus point within just 36 minutes at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, and despite a late rally from the visitors, the Stormers secured their sixth victory in eight games, with one draw.

While Dobson’s first goal would have been to beat the Dragons, he also needed to see whether his fringe players could excel at United Rugby Championship level, considering that their Champions Cup campaign begins next weekend against Clermont Auvergne in France.

And in that regard, the Stormers boss can be delighted with the depth he has at his disposal.

While the Dragons were no great shakes, having come off a loss to the Lions in Johannesburg last week, the Cape pack drilled their Welsh counterparts to produce a surfeit of front-foot ball for a dynamic backline.

Tighthead prop Neethling Fouche won a number of scrum penalties against Dragons loosehead Aki Seiuli, and even newcomer Kwenzo Blose got on top of Lloyd Fairbrother on the other side of the front row.

The Stormers maul rampaged forward, and that was how the first two tries were scored, by flank Junior Pokomela – a late replacement for the injured Nama Xaba (back) – in the ninth minute, and then hooker Joseph Dweba seven minutes later.

Then Springbok pivot Manie Libbok and the rest of the backline weaved their magic.

One of the finest tries of the season so far came in the 22nd minute, where wing Tristan Leyds won a high ball, and the ball was flung down the line before Leolin Zas sped away, with Clayton Blommetjies putting Ruhan Nel over the whitewash.

Libbok then took charge himself. Receiving the ball near the halfway line from a scrum, the Stormers No 10 went to the left, then stepped to the right, and raced downfield before leaving the last defender for dead to bring up the bonus point.

Even though wing Jordan Williams grabbed an intercept try for the Dragons, it was a long road back at 28-7 down at half-time. They were rewarded for their endeavour in the second stanza when No 1 Seiuli forced his way over from a lineout maul in the 48th minute.

But with the job virtually already done, the Stormers kept their shape in defence, with Bok replacement forward Deon Fourie winning a couple of breakdown penalties.

Libbok slotted a penalty to stretch the lead to 31-12, and when wing Sio Tomkinson was yellow-carded in the 57th minute for an off-the-ball tackle on Stormers flank Willie Engelbrecht, it looked like the visitors were never going to get back into the game.

But Dragons flyhalf JJ Hanrahan grabbed a try with 10 minutes left, and when replacement prop Josh Reynolds barged over from a maul, the lead was reduced to eight points at 34-26 before the Stormers closed out the game.