The DHL Stormers secured their place in the Investec Champions Cup play-offs with a 39-26 win over Leicester Tigers on Saturday in Cape Town.
The Stormers had an electric start to the match, cutting the defence of Leicester to pieces almost at will. Following seven minutes of play and several linebreaks, Evan Roos carried several defenders with him over Leicester’s tryline to open the scoring for the hosts. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted, extending the Stormers lead to 07-00.
Eight minutes later, André-Hugo Venter scored off the back of a five-meter lineout-maul, extending the Stormers' lead to 12-00.
The Stormers playing risky rugby in their red zone gave Leicester ample posession in the Stormers' red zone. Leicester attacked from a five-meter line-out, and great hands put the fullback, George Pearson, in a big gap in the midfield from which he walked over for Leicester’s first try. Billy Searle converted to cut the Stormers’ lead to 12-07.
Three minutes later, in an almost identical copy of Leicester’s first try, outside centre Will Wand cut through the Stormers midfield defence to score the visitors’ second try. Billy Searle converted to edge Leicester 14-12 in the lead.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted a penalty with time up, edging the Stormers 15-14 in the lead, going into the halftime break.
The Stormers continue being their own worst enemy, allowing Leicester to attack off a five-meter lineout maul, and Jamie Blamire scored off the back of the maul. Billy Searle converted to extend Leicester’s lead to 21-15 after four minutes of play in the second half.
The Stormers replied within four minutes when a brilliant offload by Paul de Villiers put Leolin Zas in a gap to score the Stormers’ third try. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted to edge the home team into a 22-21 lead.
Following the yellow card shown to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the Stormers upped their attack, and eventually JD Schickerling ran fifty meters to score the Stormers’ fourth and bonus-point try. Imad Khan converted to extend the Stormers’ lead to 29-21 and thirteen minutes still to play in the second half.
Imad Khan converted a penalty with eight minutes still to play, extending the Stormers' lead to 32-21.
Two minutes later, an Imad Khan box kick was charged down, and Tom Manz scored Leicester’s fourth and bonus point try, cutting the Stormers lead to 32-26.
With time up on the clock, Imad Khan scored the Stormers fifth try. He also converted his own try to secure a 39-26 win for the Stormers.
Scorers:
DHL Stormers: Tries: Evan Roos, André-Hugo Venter, Leolin Zas, JD Schickerling, Imad Khan. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Imad Khan (2). Penalty: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Imad Khan.
Leicester Tigers: Tries: George Pearson, Will Wand, Jamie Blamire. Conversions: Billy Searle (3). Penalty:
Teams
DHL Stormers: 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (c), 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 JD Schickerling, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu. Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Connor Evans, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Imad Khan, 22 Luke Burger, 23 JC Mars.
Leicester Tigers: 15 George Pearson, 14 Gabe Hamer-Webb, 13 Will Wand, 12 Joe Woodward, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Tom Whiteley, 8 Olly Cracknell (c), 7 Sam Williams, 6 Joaquin Moro, 5 Harry Wells, 4 James Thompson, 3 Will Hurd, 2 Jamie Blamire, 1 Tareq Haffar. Replacements: 16 Finn Theobald-Thomas, 17 Archie van der Flier, 18 Ale Loman, 19 Tom Manz, 20 Emeka Ilione, 21 Ollie Allan, 22 Orlando Bailey, 23 Ryan Crowley.