There was two DHL Stormers XVs in action in George on Friday in the last of their pre-season matches. The doubleheader got underway at Outeniqua Park at 15h30, when the DHL Stormers XV scored nine tries on their way to a 57-12 pre-season win against SWD Eagles. The second DHL Stormers XV scored five tries on their way to a hard-fought 26-21 pre-season win against the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
DHL Stormers XV 26-21 Hollywoodbets Sharks
A DHL Stormers XV scored five tries on their way to a hard-fought 26-21 pre-season win against the Hollywoodbets Sharks in George on Friday night.
That followed a convincing 52-12 win against SWD Eagles by a different DHL Stormers XV combination earlier in the day at Outeniqua Park.
The DHL Stormers XV dominated the early exchanges, camping in the opposition 22 without any reward.
The pressure eventually told when fullback Warrick Gelant came up with a sensational kick-pass to find Dan du Plessis to score.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks scored against the run of play, with Werner Kok finishing a counter-attack in the corner.
The Durban side would take the lead into half-time as Phepsi Buthelezi scored from close range to make it 14-7 at the break.
Kok got his second try early in the second half, claiming a high ball in the 22 to score.
The DHL Stormers XV regrouped and hit back with two quick tries.
Angelo Davids claimed a cross-kick from Clayton Blommetjies to score in the corner and they followed that up soon afterwards with a try from Ruhan Nel who took a well-timed pass from Gelant.
Davids pounced on a loose pass and kicked it through to score his second under the poles and the final say came from Evan Roos, who forced his way over to seal the win.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers XV: Tries: Dan du Plessis, Angelo Davids (2), Ruhan Nel, Evan Roos. Conversions: Clayton Blommetjies 4.
For Hollywoodbets Sharks: Tries: Werner Kok (2), Phepsi Buthelezi. Conversions: Curwin Bosch (3)
DHL Stormers XV 57-12 SWD Eagles
There were six tries in the first half and three in the second as all 24 players got a good work-out in the warm-up clash.
After absorbing some early pressure, the DHL Stormers XV got on the front foot, with the forwards going close before the space opened up out wide for centre Chris Hollis to score the opener.
The DHL Stormers maul was impressive throughout the first half, underlined by the fact that hooker Andre-Hugo Venter scored a hat-trick, the last try from a maul that started outside the 22.
Lock Hendre Stassen also crossed the tryline twice to give the DHL Stormers XV a commanding 38-0 advantage at half-time.
Hollis got over for his second try early in the second half before the home side got on the scoreboard with two tries of their own against the run of play.
The DHL Stormers XV maul continued to work for them and they earned a penalty try after another dominant effort.
There was time for one more maul try as Jarrod Taylor went over to cap a dominant performance.
Scorers:
DHL Stromers: Tries: Chris Hollis (2), Andre-Hugo Venter(3), Hendre Stassen (2), penalty try, Jarrod Taylor. Conversions: Clayton Blommetjies (6).