Stormers player ratings vs Leinster | URC 2024/25
Stormers player ratings: A night to forget for the South African outfit, who were less Storm Eowyn and more blow-out in their 36-12 loss to Leinster.
Here’s how we rated the players:
1. Alistair Vermaak – 6.5
A mostly solid shift from Vermaak, who edged the duel with Slimani in the scrum and contributed well in the loose.
2. Joseph Dweba – 5
Dweba struggled throughout the night, with lineout issues and handling errors contributing to the Stormers’ frustration. The wet ball seemed to have a personal vendetta against him.
3. Neethling Fouche – 5
Fouche found himself on the losing side of the scrum battle against Boyle. It was a tough night for the tighthead, who never looked comfortable.
4. JD Schickerling – 6
Worked hard in the engine room but didn’t make a significant impact in either the tight or the loose exchanges.
5. Ruben van Heerden – 7
An industrious performance. He tackled tirelessly and ensured Leinster couldn’t find easy gains through his channel.
6. Deon Fourie – 6.5
The wily veteran played his usual role, inserting himself wherever the action was hottest. A frequent presence in the referee’s ear, he walked the line between nuisance and leader.
7. Ben-Jason Dixon – 6
Lineout struggles defined his evening, with several calls going astray. Otherwise, a steady but unspectacular display.
8. Evan Roos – 7.5
Not a classic performance from Roos, but his relentless tackling kept the Stormers in the game. Handling wasn’t helped by the slick conditions but he deserved his late 5-pointer.
9. Paul de Wet – 6
A difficult night for De Wet, who just about survived the tricky wet conditions. His service was functional but lacked spark.
10. Manie Libbok – 6
Libbok had a rollercoaster of a match, blending moments of brilliance with lapses in concentration. His inconsistency mirrored the Stormers’ evening.
11. Leolin Zas – 5
Zas’s tackling was really poor. He consistently fell off his assignments, a weak link in an already struggling defensive line.
12. Jonathan Roche – 5
A quiet night for Roche, who didn’t impose himself on the game in either attack or defence. Had very little opportunity to do so.
13. Ruhan Nel – 6
Decent defensively but had little opportunity to make an impact with ball in hand.
14. Ben Loader – 7.5
The Gloucester-bound Loader took his try with aplomb and carried strongly throughout the match. One of the Stormers’ few consistent attacking threats.
15. Warrick Gelant – 7
A composed performance at the back. Gelant looked dangerous when he saw the ball, though his opportunities were limited.
REPLACEMENTS
16. Andre-Hugo Venter – 6
Solid off the bench but unable to turn the tide at the lineout.
17. Brok Harris – 5
Did his best to stabilize the scrum in the latter stages. A thankless task.
18. Frans Malherbe – 6.5
Added some much-needed stability and experience in the second half.
19. Salmaan Moerat – 6
Made some hard tackles and was solid after coming on in the 29th minute.
20. Marcel Theunissen – 6
A brief but busy stint.
21. Paul De Villiers – 5
Struggled to get into the flow of the game late on.
22. Herschel Jantjies – 6
A couple of bright moments but couldn’t inject enough pace or precision to make a difference.
23. Wandisile Simelane – 5
Limited involvement, but steady when called upon.
Go behind the scenes of both camps during the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2021. Binge watch exclusively on RugbyPass TV now