A desperate DHL Stormers registered their first victory in the Investec Champions Cup with a 40-00 win over the Sale Sharks. Despite a shaky start, the Stormers led 14-00 at the halftime break and scored four tries in the second half to secure the bonus-point win.
The first twenty minutes of the match were error-ridden, however, the Sales Sharks dominated the territorial statistics (86%) while the Stormers conceded six penalties to the two conceded by the Sales Sharks.
The Stormers attacked from their half with Wandisile Simelane beating several defenders with brilliant footwork to send over JD Schickerling to score the first points of the match. Manie Libbok added the extra two points to extend the Stormers' lead to 07-00 after 23 minutes of play in the first half.
Two minutes later the Sales Sharks dropped the ball meters from the Stormers' tryline, Stefan Ungerer kicked an up and under, which Manie Libbok caught to run 60 meters for the Stormers' second try. Libbok converted to extend the Stormers' lead to 14-00.
With four minutes to play in the first half, Frans Malherbe is shown a yellow card, following three penalties for illegal scrumming.
The Stormers led 14-00 at the halftime break, while the Sharks will kick themselves for the number of mistakes they made on the attack, costing them several try-scoring opportunities.
Sti Sithole barges his way over from two meters out to extend the Stormers' lead to 21-00 after six minutes of play in the second half. Jean-Luc du Plessis converted the try.
Two yellow cards shown to the Sale Sharks had them playing with thirteen men for seven minutes. Following the second yellow the Stormers attacked from a five-meter lineout maul and spread the ball wide for Warrick Gelant to score in the corner. After fifteen minutes of play, the Stormers led 26-00 and secured a bonus point for four tries scored.
Paul de Wet scored off the back of a five-meter scrum, stepping two defenders Libbok converted to extend the Stormers' lead to 33-00 and fifteen minutes still to play.
The Stormers continued their onslaught and Andre-Hugo Venter scored their sixth try with nine minutes to play.
The Strormers cruised to a 40-00 win over the Sales Sharks.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers: Tries: JD Schickerling, Manie Libbok, Sti Sithole, Warrick Gelant, Paul de Wet, Andre-Hugo Venter . Conversions: Manie Libbok (4), Jean-Luc du Plessis.
Teams
DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Dave Ewers, 6 Deon Fourie, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 JJ Kotze, 1 Sti Sithole. Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouché, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Evan Roos, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Jean-Luc du Plessis.
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Luke James, 12 Sam Bedlow, 11 Arron Reed, 10 Robert du Preez (c), 9 Gus Warr, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Jean-Luc du Preez, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Willgriff John, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Bevan Rodd. Replacements: 16 Tadgh McElroy, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 James Harper, 19 Josh Beaumont, 20 Ben Bamber, 21 Nye Thomas, 22 Rekeiti Maasi-White, 23 Ben Curry.