Stormers survive huge scare as Scarlets threaten historic upset

MATCH REPORT: The Stormers survived a remarkable Scarlets fightback to claim a dramatic 52-40 victory in their United Rugby Championship clash in Cape Town on Saturday.

The hosts looked in control after racing into a 33-14 halftime lead, but a spirited Scarlets side punished a string of defensive errors to claw their way back into the contest and level the scores at 40-40 with 20 minutes remaining.

Stormers flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu endured a frustrating start, struggling under the high ball and committing early handling errors, but showed flashes of brilliance as the hosts ran in some superb tries.

The Scarlets refused to surrender, with Joe Roberts completing a hat-trick as the visitors threatened to pull off a historic first URC victory over the Stormers. In the end, the Cape side found enough resolve to hold on in a breathless encounter that delivered 92 points and drama until the final whistle.

After a nervy start, the hosts strung together some beautiful play as the ball raced through the hands and Evan Roos got over the line but was held up.

Moments later, the Stormers No. 10 fumbled a high ball, knocking it on as the receiver and underlining his shaky start to the match.

The Stormers made a promising line break before the Scarlets illegally won back possession, resulting in John McKee being sent to the sinbin.

The hosts pounced, and Zachary Porthen crashed over for the first try. Sacha Feinberg-Ngomezulu failed to convert.

Feinberg-Mngomuzulu really had a torrid time in the first part of the first half after another knock-on, and he was clearly getting annoyed with himself.

But the No.10 showed what he could do with a beautiful back pass to Haashim Pead, who crossed for his first try in a first start for the Stormers.

The Scarlets responded swiftly, spotting the overlap out wide and moving the ball through the hands for Joe Roberts to sprint over the line and score. All of these tries happened while their No.2 was still in the sinbin.

The hosts’ third try was a beaut – from the lineout Hcjivah Dayimani delivered a great pass to Ntuthuko Mchunu who raced through to score, but unfortunately also injuring himself in the process.

After half an hour, the Stormers were in a commanding 19-7 lead.

Not to be undone, Ioan Jones scored a brilliant try for the visitors in the corner, converted by Leggatt-Jones to narrow the gap to 14-19.

This was turning out to be an exciting encounter, with tries being scored in tit-for-tat fashion by both sides as Saebelo Senatla rounded off a great move by Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the corner.

The Stormers lost Andre-Hugo Venter just before halftime, replaced by Lukhanyo Vokozela at hooker.

Moments later Scarlets nearly grabbed another five-pointer; however, one of the passes in the movement was forward. It was well manufactured, just lacking accuracy, but signalled true intent to fight for a first-ever victory against the Stormers.

The crowd was fully entertained with another try just as the hooter went, by the ageless warrior Deon Fourie, who got in the score, with the home side leading 33-14 at halftime.

The Scarlets got right back in it with two tries in quick succession in the second half after Macs Page and international Roberts crossed in under seven minutes of each other.

After Leggatt-Jones converted both, their tails were up, trailing by five points.

Two minutes later Page almost got over, but Feinberg-Mngomezulu made a try-saving tackle. Page hit his head on the ground, and play was interrupted for quite some time as the medical staff worked on him.

After a series of penalties in favour of the hosts, Ollie Reid scored his first try in the competition, powering through contact to cross the line.

HIA’s to both Stormers hookers, saw Adre Smith move to prop and Ollie Reid an uncontested scrum.

The Scarlets refused to back down, thriving on loose play and exploiting an overlap out wide before Josh Macleod stepped inside and slid over for the try, thus trailing by 33-40 with 20 minutes to go.

The visitors capitalised on every opportunity as the Stormers were punished for a string of errors, with Joe Roberts completing his hat-trick after never being held in the tackle.

The Stormers were under pressure, and the scores were level 40-40.

Evan Roos picked and drove towards the line, but it was unclear whether he grounded the ball.

The Scarlets produced a monumental defensive effort to hold the Stormers up over the line and earn a goal-line drop-out.

They went again, and it was Yaqeen Ahmed who got the hosts out in front again.

The Scarlets were shredding the Stormers defence out wide, as well as through the middle and the hosts were conceding some embarrassing tries against a side that they have never lost to in the URC.

After a second half full of drama, Ahmed scored the final try to cement a shaky victory for his side.

Player of the Match: Stormers scrumhalf Hasheem Pead scored his first try in the white and blue hoops and combined brilliantly with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

The scorers:

For Stormers:
Tries: Porthen, Pead, Mchunu, Senatla, Fourie, Reid, Ahmed 2
Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 6

For Scarlets:
Tries: Roberts 3, Jones, Page, Macleod
Cons: Leggatt-Jones 4

Yellow card: John McKee (Stormers, 10’ – hands in the ruck)

Teams:

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Markus Muller, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Evan Roos, 6 Paul de Villiers (captain), 5 Connor Evans, 4 Riley Norton, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Olly Reid, 18 Neethling Fouché, 19 Adré Smith, 20 JD Schickerling, 21 Deon Fourie, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Yaqeen Ahmed.

Scarlets: 15 Ioan Nicholas, 14 Ioan Jones, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Macs Page, 10 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 9 Dane Blacker, 8 Fletcher Anderson, 7 Josh Macleod (captain), 6 Taine Plumtree, 5 Sam Lousi, 4 Alex Groves, 3 Harri O’Connor, 2 John McKee, 1 Kemsley Mathias
Replacements: 16 George Roberts, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Gabe Hawley, 19 Harvey Cuckson, 20 Dan Davis, 21 Archie Hughes, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Isaac Murray-Macgregor

Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Christopher Allison (South Africa) & Juan de Bod (South Africa)
TMO: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)