Riccitelli shocker mars Stormers win
SUPER RUGBY REPORT: The Stormers managed to start John Dobson’s coaching tenure with a bonus-point win over a very spiteful Hurricanes outfit.
The home team scored four tries – three of them in a dominant first half – to send the New Zealand outfit away empty-handed – a 27-0 shutout at Newlands on Saturday.
The Stormers held a 19-0 lead at the break, but the visitors put up sterner resistance in the second half.
However, the game was marred by the injury of Springbok and Stormers World Cup-winning captain Siyamthanda Kolisi – who hobbled off inside the first quarter. He suffered medial ligament damage, after a shockingly late tackle from Ricky Riccitelli on his left knee.
The post-match disciplinary panel may well have a long, hard look at that cheap shot.
The New Zealand team’s niggle did not end there.
Centre Billy Proctor was yellow-carded in the 48th minute after several warnings for repeated offences and he then shoulder-charged Damian Willemse off the ball.
And replacement forward Vaea Fifita got 10 minutes in the sin bin for a high hit on Stormers replacement hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni.
To add to the Stormers’ post-match concerns, Bok hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi also limped off near the 50-minute mark, after getting his leg trapped badly in a ruck.
* Did you miss any of the action? To recap all the drama, CLICK HERE!
The Stormers got on the front foot early on, marching into the 22 where they launched a maul and brought the ball in front of the poles where scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies put in a clever cross-kick to find an unmarked Sergeal Petersen out wide.
A turnover near halfway from lock Salmaan Moerat gave them their next attacking opportunity and the forwards took control, with prop Steven Kitshoff crashing over in the corner.
The third try came as a result of defensive pressure as Jantjies intercepted a bouncing pass and raced away to score.
The Stormers then showed good defensive discipline to hold the Hurricanes out and keep them scoreless at the half-time break.
The visitors were shown two yellow cards at the start of the second half, with the Stormers stretching their lead to 22-0 with a Damian Willemse penalty on the hour mark.
The fourth try came at the death as an intercept in the 22 turned defence into attack and Willemse raced away to score and put the seal on an emphatic performance.
Man of the match: Young Stormers flyhalf Damian Willemse – while not flawless, especially in the kicking department – had some great moments. Flank Pieter-Steph du Toit again showed why he was named World Rugby Player of the Year. Our award goes to the Stormers talented young Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies – who kicked off the scoring spree with a pin-point cross-field kick for Sergeal Petersen’s try and produced great intercept for his team’s third try. Allround a great performance that enhanced his burgeoning reputation.
The scorers
For the Stormers
Tries: Petersen, Kitshoff, Jantjies, Willemse
Cons: Willemse 2
Pen: Willemse
Hurricanes:
None
Yellow cards: Billy Proctor (Hurricanes, 48 – foul play, shoulder charge off the ball), Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes, 58 – foul play, high tackle)
Teams:
Stormers: 15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 Chris van Zyl, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Alister Vermaak, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 David Meihuizen, 20 Ernst van Rhyn, 21 Johan du Toit, 22 Godlen Masimla, 23 Rikus Pretorius.
Hurricanes: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Fletcher Smith, 9 Thomas Perenara (captain), 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Scott Scrafton, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Fraser Armstrong.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Auma, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Devan Flanders, 21 Jamie Booth, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Vince Aso.
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Egon Seconds (South Africa)
TMO: Joey Klaaste-Salmans (South Africa)
