Stormers implode against Racing 92
MATCH REPORT: The Stormers’ gamble to play an untested side against Racing 92 backfired as the hosts recorded a bonus point win – leaving the Capetonians anxiously waiting on the Sale v Toulon clash on Sunday to see if they’ll qualify for the Challenge Cup.
The result left the Cape side in fifth place in their pool, which rules them out of the Champions Cup race – with Sale Sharks below them still facing Toulon on Sunday being able to deny them a spot in the Challenge Cup should they get the win.
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The visitors dominated the possession and territory but failed to convert it into points inside the opening 10 minutes.
A good kick by Mathee gave Racing 92 a defensive lineout which was deemed to be not straight, gifting the Stormers a five metre attacking scrum.
The Stormers earned a scrum penalty and opted for the kick at goal which Mathee slotted to open the scoring for the visitors.
Racing breached the Stormers defence through the middle of the ruck which set racing some space on the outside which saw Vinaya Habosi trot in for the match’s opening try which Le Garrec converted in the 14th minute.
*To recap all the action CLICK HERE
It took three minutes after Racing 92’s first score for opposite wing Max Spring to get the hosts second score which saw the Stormers under pressure in the 18th minute trailing by eight points.
Former Stormer Hacjivah Dayimani conceded a breakdown penalty that gave the visitors a 22 metre entry in the 21st minute which André Hugo Venter went over for the try moments after coming on for Joseph Dweba who went off with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
A quick lineout throw-in from the home side following a free kick conceded by the Stormers at the scrum by Tuisova to Habosi saw the wing grab a brace in the 37th minute.
The Stormers rook a quick tap off a free-kick from an attacking scrum which Racing captain Ibrahim Diallo was given a yellow card for a side entry at the breakdown on attack, but the Stormers couldn’t pounce on the extra player as both sides went into the sheds with Racing 92 holding a nine point lead.
Defence
The second-half started with the visitors owning the possession and territory but Racing 92 repelled them well initially but couldn’t capitalise on their opportunities.
Racing had an opportunity to extend their lead in the 50th minute with the Stormers line in sight but lost possession as Van Heerden kicked the ball into touch to get out of trouble.
Blommetjies failed to find touch from a mark as Habosi went through the attempted tackle of Du Plessis as the counter-attack saw Spring go over in the 56th minute.
The Stormers struck back two minutes later as Mathee under penalty advantage made a break and found Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies on his inside who went over as Mathee made it a seven point match following the conversion.
A missed kick by Racing 92 saw Herschel Jantjies snipe the blindside and find Theunissen on his outside to go over the line in the 64th minute which Mathee couldn’t convert.
The Stormers earned a penalty in the 68th minute on the angle from 50 metres out which Mathee missed to give his side the lead.
Gogochasvili made a good break that have racing a good attacking platform as Racing earned the penalty but the Stormers managed to keep the hosts at bay for the moment before Jantjies knocked it on.
Racing won the penalty and rolled the dice twice, with the second attempt being successful as Boris Paul sealed the deal by scoring the match-sealing try in the 77th minute which Le Garrec converted.
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Match Summary
Scorers
For Racing 92
Tries: Habosi 2, Spring 2, Paul
Cons: Le Garrec 3
For the Stormers:
Tries: Venter, Theunissen, Jantjies
Cons: Mathee 2
Pen: Mathee
Yellow card: Ibrahim Diallo (Racing 92 – cynical: side entry at the breakdown in red zone 39′)
Teams
Racing 92: 15 Tristan Tedder, 14 Vinaya Habosi, 13 Josua sova, 12 Dan Lancaster, 11 Max Spring, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Nolann le Garrec, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Maxime Baudonne, 6 Ibrahim Diallo (captain), 5 Romain Taofifenua, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Thomas Laclayat, 2 Feleti Kaitu’u, 1 Hassane Kolingar
Replacements: 16 Diego Escobar, 17 Guram Gogichashvili, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Boris Palu, 20 Jordan Joseph, 21 Cameron Woki, 22 Antoine Gibert, 23 Henry Chavancy
Stormers: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Ben Loader, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Willie Engelbrecht, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Jean-Luc du Plessis.
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson, John Meredith
TMO: Andrew Jackson
