The DHL Stormers built up a patient innings against Zebre Parma before finding their rhythm and breaking through the defence for a bonus-point 36-5 victory at Stadio Lanfranchi on Saturday to secure their first win in the competition and maintain their good track record against the Italians in the northern hemisphere showpiece.
The Capetonians gained steady momentum in the first half with Jurie Mathee slotting three penalty goals in the first 27 minutes before they scored the opening try of the match by Leolin Zas on the stroke of halftime to take a morale-boosting 16-0 lead.
The visitors showed enterprise on attack and applied pressure on the hosts, who did well to stand their ground, and although it took patience, they did well to take their chances as they arose before finding their momentum in the second half.
The late first-half try gave them the boost they needed going into the second half in which they scored three tries to only one by the home side, the first by Suleiman Hartzenberg, before Zas earned his brace, and Angelo Davids sealed the bonus point with two minutes left to play.
Scorers:
Zebre Parma: Try: Simone Gesi.
DHL Stormers: Tries: Leolin Zas (2), Suleiman Hartzenberg, Angelo Davids. Conversions: Jurie Mathee, Damian Willemse. Penalties: Jurie Mathee (4).
Teams
Zebre Parma: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14 Jacopo Trulla, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Fetuli Paea, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giacomo Da Re, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Giacomo Ferrari, 7 Samuele Locatelli, 6 Davide Ruggeri, 5 Leonard Krumov, 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Matteo Nocera, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Danilo Fischetti (c). Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Luca Rizzoli, 18 Juan Pitinari, 19 Andrea Zambonin, 20 Giovanni Licata, 21 Gonzalo Garcia, 22 Scott Gregory, 23 Giovanni Montemauri.
DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis (c), 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Keke Morabe, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Sithembiso Sithole. Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Louw Nel, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Warrick Gelant, 23 Angelo Davids.