Sport24.co.za | Stormers pip Bulls in Super Rugby warm-up try fest
Cape Town – The Stormers have beaten the Bulls 33-28 in a thrilling Super Rugby warm up match at Cape Town Stadium.
The Stormers were fastest out the blocks and off to a flying start with two tries within the first 13 minutes thanks to wing Seabelo Senatla and flyhalf Josh Stander.
SP Marais converted both for to give the home side a 14-0 lead.
Marais then pushed the score out to 21-0 in the 18th minute, scoring and converting his own effort to leave the Bulls reeling.
The visitors finally stemmed the bleeding with a try of their own in the 21st minute with flyhalf Handre Pollard scoring and converting to make the score 21-7.
The Bulls cut into the lead again in the 30th minute as scrumhalf Ivan van Zyl crossed the whitewash for Pollard to convert and put see the score out to 21-14.
The pace of the game was showing no signs of slowing down as the Stormers extended their lead to 26-14 in the 33rd minute after Juarno Augustus collected his own charge down to score an unconverted try.
But the Bulls hit back almost immediately thanks to a converted try from Warrick Gelant which made the score 26-21 just before half-time.
Just after half-time, the Bulls took the lead for the first time with flanker Paul Schoeman the scorer.
Pollard added the extras to make the score 28-26 in favour of the visitors.
The Stormers regained the lead in the 74th minute as captain Chris van Zyl crashed over a period of sustained pressure.
Replacement Damian Willemse landed the conversion to give the home side a 33-28 lead, a position they held till the final whistle in what was a pulsating encounter.
Scorers
Stormers
Tries: Seabelo Senatla, Josh Stander, SP Marais, Juarno Augustus, Chris van Zyl
Conversions: SP Marais (3), Damian Willemse
Penalties
Bulls
Tries: Handre Pollard, Ivan van Zyl, Warrick Gelant, Paul Schoeman
Conversions: Handre Pollard (4)
Teams
Stormers
15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 SP Marais, 10 Joshua Stander, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 Chris van Zyl (captain), 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Michael Kumbirai, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Ali Vermaak
Substitutes: 16 Chad Solomon, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 JD Schickerling, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Kobus van Dyk, 23 Herschel Jantjies, 24 Damian Willemse, 25 Sergeal Petersen, 26 Dan du Plessis
Bulls
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Jade Stighling, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Duncan Matthews, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Jannes Kirsten, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Lood de Jager (captain), 4 Eli Snyman, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Lizo Gqoboka
Substitutes: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Simphiwe Matanzina, 18 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Ruan Steenkamp, 21 Thembelani Bholi, 22 Embrose Papier, 23 Manie Libbok, 24 Dylan Sage, 25 Johnny Kotze, 26 Divan Rossouw