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Stormers blow past Dragons in Cape Town
The Stormers extended their unbeaten home record to 15 games after a ruthless first-half performance helped them defeat United Rugby Championship opponents the Dragons 34-26.
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Stormers’ brand of sunshine rugby matched perfect conditions at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha as the URC champions cut loose during a dominant opening 40 minutes.
Their sixth league victory from eight starts was underpinned by first-half tries for flanker Junior Pokomela, hooker Joseph Dweba, centre Ruhan Nel and fly-half Manie Libbok.
But the Dragons fought back superbly, claiming a losing bonus-point and outscoring their hosts during a second period that produced tries for props Aki Seiuli and Josh Reynolds while JJ Hanrahan also crossed.
Hanrahan added conversions of wing Jordan Williams’ first-half score and his own try and substitute Will Reed booted a conversion as Stormers’ second-half points were restricted to a couple of Libbok penalties, which followed three earlier conversions for a 17-point haul.
The Stormers quickly made their intentions clear, moving possession wide and stretching the Dragons defensively.
But it was from a set-piece that the home side went ahead, driving a close-range lineout that ended with Pokomela – a late inclusion in Stormers’ starting line-up – touching down.
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Libbok converted and the Stormers increased their lead seven minutes later in carbon-copy fashion when another lineout surge saw Dweba score and Libbok add the extras.
The Dragons had no answer to such physical power yet Stormers then showcased their attacking game, cruising to a try bonus-point in spectacular fashion.
Wings Tristan Leyds and Leolin Zas were heavily involved in a length-of-the-field move that ended with Nel collecting Clayton Blommetjies’ one-handed pass to score, then Libbok shredded Dragons’ defence on a weaving 50-metre run.
Libbok and Blommetjies each added conversions and although Williams claimed an interception try on the stroke of half-time, the Dragons had a mountain to climb at 28-7 adrift.
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Seiuli opened the second-half scoring after a Dragons lineout surge before a Libbok penalty took his team past 30 points and he added another when wing Sio Tomkinson was yellow-carded following an off-the-ball challenge.
The Dragons, though, displayed admirable resolve, finishing strongly to dominate the second-half scoreboard 19-6.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments