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Stormers player ratings vs Leinster | URC 2024/25
By Ian Cameron at Aviva Stadium, Dublin
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
