Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Two tries: Deon Fourie
Related links
Teams
- Bulls
- Stormers
Also see
- Blues win in wet Waikato
- Minute-by-minute: Blues edge Chiefs
The Stormers try drought at Newlands came to an emphatic end with the home side picking up five points in a clinical 51-16 defeat of the Western Force to move to the top of the Super Rugby standings.
Having crossed the opposition line only once in their three opening home games of the season, the Stormers broke the shackles with six tries against the Force while Peter Grant was again impeccable with the boot.
The men from the Cape signaled their intent early as a sweeping backline move put Jaque Fourie away in the left-hand corner as early as the second minute.
The home side's domination up front then saw hooker Deon Fourie crash over after a line-out and drive midway through the half before captain Jean de Villiers dotted down for his first try of the season as the opening period drew to a close.
James O'Connor's one-man show kept the Force in contention in the first 40-minutes, the young fly-half scythed through the Stormers defence for his team's only try and added two penalties and a conversion, leaving the score 27-16 to the home side at half-time.
The Stormers started the second half in similar fashion to how they had started the first, with impressive handling by the backline releasing hooker Fourie, who raced down the touchline before chipping and collecting to dot down in the corner for the Stormers' fourth try.
With the bonus point secured and the win a certainty for the home side, the second period saw both teams go through the motions with the Force unable to take advantage of Francois Louw's yellow card.
Jacques Fourie was able to collect a second try of his own before being substituted for Juan de Jongh and Andries Bekker powered over late on to hand the Stormers an impressive 51-16 victory.
The scorers:
For Stormers:
Tries: J. Fourie (2), D Fourie (2), de Villiers, Bekker
Cons: Grant (6)
Pens: Grant (3)
Yellow cards: Francois Louw
For Western Force:
Tries: O'Connor
Cons: O'Connor
Pens: O'Connor (2)
Stormers: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Pieter Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Nick Koster, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Lionel Cronje, 22 Juan de Jongh.
Western Force: 15 Cameron Shepherd, 14 Alfie Mafi, 13 Nick Cummins, 12 Gene Fairbanks, 11 David Smith, 10 James O'Connor, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Richard Brown, 5 Nathan Sharpe (c), 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Tim Fairbrother, 2 Ben Whittaker, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Charles, 17 Kieran Longbottom, 18 Tom Hockings, 19 Tevita Metuisela, 20 James Stannard, 21 Matt Brandon, 22 Pat Dellit.
Referee: Pro Legoete (South Africa)
The scorers:
For Stormers:
Tries: J. Fourie (2), D Fourie (2), de Villiers, Bekker
Cons: Grant (6)
Pens: Grant (3)
Yellow cards: Francois Louw
For Western Force:
Tries: O'Connor
Cons: O'Connor
Pens: O'Connor (2)
Stormers: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers (c), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Pieter Louw, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Nick Koster, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Lionel Cronje, 22 Juan de Jongh.
Western Force: 15 Cameron Shepherd, 14 Alfie Mafi, 13 Nick Cummins, 12 Gene Fairbanks, 11 David Smith, 10 James O'Connor, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson, 6 Richard Brown, 5 Nathan Sharpe (c), 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Tim Fairbrother, 2 Ben Whittaker, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Nathan Charles, 17 Kieran Longbottom, 18 Tom Hockings, 19 Tevita Metuisela, 20 James Stannard, 21 Matt Brandon, 22 Pat Dellit.
Referee: Pro Legoete (South Africa)
Comments
Carpelone says...
Thanks Bruce.
Posted 15:40 30th March 2011
rolf says...
Bruce, do i understand right: you get 4 points for not playing at all, only so the table is easier to read?
OMG, that is ridiculous and false, as teams seem better then they are (force).
Is it asking to much that you should always keep an eye on the "Games played" column? I dont think so.
Anyway: Lekker to see the stormers and especially Jacques Fourie still can do it.
Posted 10:45 28th March 2011
bruce says...
During a bye week (which the Stormers have already had) the team is awarded 4 points. This seems bizarre, but actually makes the log easier to compare. Take for example the Blues, they haven't had their bye yet, so they've got 4 points coming to them at some point - but by the same regard the Stormers wil play a game that weekend so the potential is for the status-quo to remain.
In the past the team with a byw simply got zero points - so you had to take that into consideration when viewing the table. Sure the Stormers may lose the game that weekend, but that's true for any team at any time. Their 4 (or 5) points are not guarenteed that weekend, but they will get the opportunity to earn them.
Put another way - no team takes a massive step backwards on a Bye weekend. They'll maintain their position on the log regardless of the games happeneing around them (give or take a bonus point etc.) They may gain places on a bye weekend, but are unlikely to lose them. (They could slip a bit, but by no more than a point.)
So for us poor slobs, the log is easier to read.
Posted 14:58 27th March 2011
carpelone says...
I may be lost with the new format, but why do Stormers have 25 points?
Posted 12:51 27th March 2011
Exusref says...
Jou lekker ding.
Posted 00:46 27th March 2011
bruce says...
About the Stormers much learning there was. The force is strong with them.
Posted 19:47 26th March 2011