Match six in the opening weekend of Super Rugby action sees the Stormers host the Hurricanes in the only non-derby match of the weekend. The Stormers will be keen to get their campaign off to a good start and stake a claim on that top spot in the SA conference.
Captained by Schalk Burger, and with an almost fully fit squad of players, field a really strong forward pack, with a good loose trio. The outside backs in de Villiers, Habana, van den Heever, Aplon and Pietersen will look to score the necessary tries to get that elusive bonus point, something we haven’t seen much of in opening weekend.
The Hurricanes are tipped by many to be the wooden spoonists in the New Zealand conference this season, with a mass player exodus seeing their star players running out for other franchises. They will want to show that they are still a strong team, and will give the Stormers as hard a time as they can.
The Stormers should simply be too strong for this Hurricanes outfit, and this match kicks off 17h05 SA time.
Stormers: 15. Johan Pietersen, 14. Gio Aplon, 13. Bryan Habana, 12. Jean de Villiers, 11. Gerhard van den Heever, 10. Gary Van Aswegen, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Nick Koster, 7. Duane Vermeulen, 6. Schalk Burger (Captain), 5. Andries Bekker, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 3. Brok Harris, 2. Tiaan Liebenberg, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16. Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17. Frans Malherbe, 18. De Kock Steenkamp, 19. Siya Kolisi, 20. Louis Schreuder, 21. Burton Francis, 22. Marcel Brache
Hurricanes: 1. Tristan Moran ,2. Dane Coles,3. Ben May,4. Jeremy Thrush,5. Jason Eaton,6. Faifili Levave,7. Jack Lam,8. Victor Vito,9. Chris Eaton,10. Beauden Barrett,11. Alapati Leiua,12. Tim Bateman,13. Conrad Smith (c),14. Cory Jane,15. Andre Taylor
Replacements :16. Motu Matu’u,17. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen,18. James Broadhurst,19. Brad Shields,20. TJ Perenara,21. Daniel Kirkpatrick,22. Charlie Ngatai
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Can I survive the 1st round. Time will tell. Go Stormers…..but just enough.
3 – 0 will be sufficient 😈
Good luck to the Stormers – give ’em hell!
@JarsonX (Comment 1) : 😛
Habana vs Smith. :licking-lips:
Aplon try
Good dummy and clean heels by the little man…….
There are so many Capetonians wearing NZ sweaters….
Cape Town is the the embarrassment of SA rugby….any money going there is a waste….let those traitors children go the NZ if that is where their love is…
Eish I cannot handle traitors…worst kind of person…like a murderer…
@Franshark (Comment 5) : That was quick!
Now that I got that out…
What a great start by the Stormers…
Great backline play…try and converted…
Garry converts
Stormers 7 – 0 Hurricanes
6min
@Hmmm (Comment 7) : Don’t worry about it – it’s their loss
Stormers conceding a penalty…
Slotted….
Sto 7 – 3 Hur
Starting XV try
@vanmartin (Comment 11) :
Those Cape Tonians are a useless breed…sure they inbreed…brothers and sisters making their own lil nephews and nieces…
@Franshark (Comment 10) : was Joe P kicking, not Gary
Silly stuff from Schalk and Duane there.
That reminds me, how nice it was to see a weekend of play when a line lifter doesn’t let the player he is holding do a 360 and has to catch them by the bands in their pans.
Looks like a free running game on the cards…
@Hmmm (Comment 14) : You’ve got issues dude
Penalty Stormers, Aplon goes for touch. Canes don’t look happy
Sormers forwards showing aggression early on…and getting the upper hand thus far…
Total weight of 923…that is heavy….
@Hmmm (Comment 14) :
You’re uncle is your brother
You’re sister is your mother
You like to *something* each other
The Province family
@vanmartin (Comment 18) :
I do….with traitors…ha-ha
Burger down, medics having a look. Not often we see Schalk grimmace with pain
@LordHope (Comment 21) :
If you say so…I cannot argue…never met either of those…so they might even be….ha-ha-ha…
But at least I did not come out of the shallow side of that inbreed pool…like those traitor Stormers…. 😎
Burger off…replaced by Kolisi…big loss in physicality early on for the Stormers…but gain on attack…
Burger off
And he leaves the field. Hope no one had Schalk in their fl, that one looks serious! Stormers have the penalty. Joe P slots it. 10-3
Burger gone for the season.
First Springbok casualty.. The first of many
Hurricanes conceding a few penalties now….
@Die Kriek (Comment 27) :
There goes my first trade..
@Die Kriek (Comment 27) : He’s in mine 🙁
Joe PK
Stormers 10 – 3 Hurricanes
17 min
Another penalty by Hurricanes….right in front of the poles
Joe slots it
Sto 13 – 3 Hur
Now let’s see that great loose forward depth. 🙂
@Hmmm (Comment 34) :
18 min
Joe PK
Stormers 13 – 3 Hurricanes
19 min
And another penalty Stormers
Joe P is having a good day from the tee
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 28) : Brussouw better stay fit, I don’t want to see Stegmann capped again!
@vanmartin (Comment 39) :
The sad thing is that he was a captain candidate..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 28) : Your right. Expect a few players do go down this season. Meyer will be sweating as he prepares for the 3 games against the Poms. Physios will be working overtime on Monday!
Ben May Penalized for not binding correctly
The Stormers don’t have a very good lose trio on at the moment….
Duane good…but the other 2 have capabilities…but overall not that good…
Hurricanes been conceding a lot of penalties…could find themselves in trouble if they continue with that trend…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 40) : Forgot about that. My nightmares will now be haunted by Steggies at 6 and Spies captaining the Boks from 8 😯
off side by the stormers, penalty to the canes
Joe offside penalised right in front….
Canes slot it…
Sto 13 – 6 Hur (23 min)
:Mrgreen:
Habana not making the same impact as yet at 13 that JPP made…
Etzebeth is STRONG!
advantage to Stormers in canes 22…
Stormers 5 meters out after Etsabeth smashed through a Hurricane…
Sto penalised 2 meters out…no advantage…Sto kick for touch 5 meters out…
Stormers driving the ball…Kolisi tackled back…ball to backline….advantage to Stormers for Canes being offisde….
Burger in my FL too. Shouldve known not to pick him 🙁
Some scrappy play has Joubert stop play to consult with the touch judge…
2 consec advantage against no 1…yellow carded….
Moran to the bin
Stormers kick for touch again…5 meters lineout…playing against 7 forwards for 10 min
Stormers mall from lineout with Kolisi at the back…Stormers drive over for Kolisi to score…
What a scrum, demolished the canes
What a moran. 🙄
@LordHope (Comment 59) : 😈
Joe converts…kicking well…
Sto 20 – 6 Hur (29 min)
@JarsonX (Comment 53) : same. so thats Masaga and now Burger. 2 enforced transfers next week!
Aye the Stormers have a few players for the ugly books…that readhead prop…Kolisi…Koster…
Lucky they professional sportsman…else they’d find it tough to get woman…lol
Stormers penalised right in front…Tiaan penalised for falling over in ruck…
PK at goal…slotted…
Sto 20 – 9 Hur (33 min)
Just realized Burger was in my starting XV too. Summon Mr. Miyagi! Burger needs some of that karate healing so I can get maximum fl points!
Canes penalised fielding kick-off…going of feet at ruck…
going for touch…Stormers lineout 5 meters out…
Bekker a monster in the lineout today…
The second time a Canes took Bekker legs out…another yellow against the Canes…
BOTH Canes props off…
May joins Moran on the bench
Hurricanes are in quite a precarious situation.
Another lineout mall…Stormers driving…
Liebenberg claiming a try…Jonker going upstairs…
Toks: both props off and only 1 chair for them…ha-ha-ha
both props off…. they gonna leak points 😉
All angels look short…
No try…5 meter scrum to Stormers…
Uncontested scrum….
Eaton at prop….ha-ha-ha
Canes locking at front row and back 3…Jonker states need a tight 5…
Advantage to Stormers for Canes off-side…
Jonker calls advantage over and Gary slots a drop…with 2 off 😯
Moran back on
1 porp back…Canes back to 14 players…
Fantastic play wthere, got a two man advantage and you go for the DG.
Well done Stormers, you join an elite club of teams that could stuff such an easily obtainable opportunity. 😐
Joe lost forward in Sto 22
@Hmmm (Comment 82) :
Was dew to a great chase by Smith after a kick through by Canes…
Scrums contested again….
Stormers scrummed the poop out of the Canes there….
@Hmmm (Comment 84) :
That readhead showing some talent….
Canes score to make it 23-16 at HT 😯
Great offload by Barret…
Canes score and convert…
Sto 23 – 16 Hur (halftime)…
@Hmmm (Comment 87) :
Stormers must be kicking themselves for only leading by 7 after dominating that much….
late score by 14 man Canes…close game it is…
Not many handling errors….
But Canes have conceded 7 turnovers / 8 penalties / 1 free kick…and the Stormers are just 7 ahead!??!
Canes putting a few good phases in…until Duane wins a penalty in a ruck contesting for the ball….
Stormers go for lineout…and pass it down the backline…
JdV takes attacks the line and gets tackled…Kolisi goes in to protect the ball but gets rucked off the ball easily…
Arriving players manage to retain ball…goes down line again ending with a Joe kick down line…
Canes penalised for tripping….not sure about number…shows white card for touch investigation….
Habana should get an Oscar for that though…seriously!??!
Joe goes for goal and misses badly….
Canes take 22 kick-off fielded by Nick “Chucky” Koster…
Stormers putting a lot of phases…just for the Canes 10 to intercept…Aplon catches but misses tackle and Canes 10 scores…
2 point game with kick to come
A good old fashioned textbook low tackle wud have done the trick there
Converted….
Sto 23 – 23 Hur (48 min)
Thanks to a poor loopy pass by JdV….he should be on the wing…
@beet (Comment 96) :
Wrapping the legs…then the Canes 10 would have had to place the ball again allowing time for arriving Sto players…
Etsabeth and Red-Ridinghood looking strong with ball in hand…
Stomers best runners their 2 locks and Kitshoff (Redridinghood)
laptop battery flat…me signing out…not going to get up for a charger now…lol
@Hmmm (Comment 101) : Help anyone. I’m blind! 😈
54 nervous LMS contenders
If Scura gets on this will surely be the youngest frontrow in SR history.
@comment(63) hmmm, couldn’t help but laugh very,you actually distracting me from the game,guess we’ll see Nizaam Carr on the bench next week
Joe PK
Stormers 26 – 23 Hurricanes
58 min
another Joe PK
Stormers 29 – 23 Hurricanes
60 min
Hurricanes over, tmo asked for try or no try
try not awarded
Penalty to Hurricanes
Barret sports it
Stormers 29 – 26 Hurricanes
62 min
Stormers under pressure now….
How do players still get that carried back call wrong
Beet,most definitely,20 year old and two other 21 year olds,has to be the youngest
Joe PK
Stormers 32 – 26 Hurricanes
67 min
Joe PK, against the post
Stormers 32 – 26 Hurricanes
70 min
Penalty try after a storming drive from the stormers, yellow card for hurricanes 17
Joe converts
Stormers 39 – 26 Hurricanes
73 min
Penalty for hurricanes, line out stormers 22
Stormers scrum on their 22 for knock
penalty to the Hurricanes, ask for scrum
another penalty scrum again
a knock by the canes, and a hack through gives the stormers relieve
chip kick, a gather and a dive to the line by Joe, TMO for try…. possible bonus point try
No try IMO
No try, game over
NO TRY!!!!! I’m rather happy about that. We need to keep the other SA sides within reach.
FULL TIME
Stormers 32 – 26 Hurricanes
Im still alive after round 1 😎
So 3 from 6 and 4 margin points 😕
If the citeing comite is doing their job we should not play against beker,etzebeth or liebenberg
@Franshark (Comment 126) :
FULL TIME
Stormers 39 – 26 Hurricanes
@Ludz (Comment 112) : Beau Barrett, not bad hey. He’s certainly added a few kgs since the end of last SR season.
Broadhurst is another youngster to keep an eye out for in the months and years to come.
@Ludz (Comment 105) :
LoL
Koster looks like Chucky
Kitshoff…..well do I even need to say
Kolisi looks like his facial bones kept growing way after the other bones stopped growing…
The lack of pace in the Hurricanes backline def helped the Stormers win…
@Hmmm (Comment 133) :
Their lack of discipline didn’t help.
3 cards and could have been more had the high tackle on Shadow been noticed, as well as the trip on Habana.
I’ve seen a lot of complaining from Kiwis that the cards were unfair and that the disallowed try should have been given. I personally disagree, any opinions?
@Leviathan (Comment 135) :
I think the 1st yellow card was definitiely deserved as it was the same player who infringed twice, Moran I think. The second or third one was maybe a little harsh, but that said, Marius Jonker did warn them a few times about taking away the players legs and the Canes didnt have an answer in trying to stop that rolling maul. I think they missed a forward to really lay down the law and guide the younger ones, such as Andrew Hore and the inexperience really showed.
I was really impressed with the physicality of Etzebeth and shows the value of playing a youngster next to a more experienced player who can keep him right. I was also impressed with Kitshoff, for such a young prop he has immense potential.
@Pat (Comment 136) :
yeah, can’t believe Etsebeth hasn’t been given a chance until now. Also for all the talk of the cards, no-one seems to mention the try that the Stormers didn’t get a after Marius blew the whistle too quickly. Or the high tackle on Shadow that wasn’t punished.
The Hurricanes played with a lot of heart, but they were really undisciplined. And yeah, their forward pack looked outclassed, even without Schalk on the field. Can’t wait for Bash to be back.
(e) Intentional knock or throw forward. A player must not intentionally knock the ball forward
with hand or arm, nor throw forward.
Penalty: Penalty Kick. A penalty try must be awarded if the offence prevents a try that
would probably otherwise have been scored.
He was off his feet and he deliberately hit the ball forward about 10m to prevent the Stormers from getting it. the Stormers were on attack, close to the try-line. Cynical foul play.
Taking out support players at the line-out. Was warned.
Tackling the maul from an off-side position.
If the referees are really going to be more strict this year we will hear many more complaints from the Kiwis