Staff Reporter.
Stormers eased to a bonus-point victory over Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship in Cape Town.
The Stormers scored three tries in the first half and one in the second for a 29-13 bonus-point victory over an Ospreys team that welcomed back experienced Wales internationals Gareth Anscombe and Adam Beard.
With the win, John Dobson’s side reclaim sixth place from the Vodacom Bulls, who beat Irish side Ulster at Loftus Versfeld earlier in day. The Lions and Sharks won their fixtures against Edinburgh and the Dragons, respectively, in another perfect weekend for the local teams against overseas opposition.
Next weekend, the Stormers and Bulls face off in Cape Town in what promises to be an exhilarating match that will be decisive for the South African Shield.
It was far from ideal conditions in the Cape as a powerful south-easterly wind blew through the stadium but, to their credit, the Stormers handled it magnificently well. Playing into the wind in the first half, the Stormers threw the ball around with abandon and the high-tempo nature of their play definitely paid dividends.
Chief playmaker Manie Libbok and No 8 Evan Roos were both sensational and played integral roles in all three first-half tries, while wing Leolin Zas continued his excellent form by crossing for a brace.
The Stormers laid the platform for the win in a blitzkrieg of the first 30 minutes, where scrumhalf Paul de Wet, lock Adre Smith and Zas all scored.
While the hosts lost their way in the second half – when Zas and Libbok were both sent to the sin bin for cynical play – the damage had already been done as Zas had earlier sealed the four-try bonus point.
Meanwhile the Emirates Lions did what the South African teams in contention for top-eight Vodacom United Rugby Championship places hoped they would by winning 15-9 in a tight game against Edinburgh at Emirates Airlines Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Elsewhere Cell C Sharks slayed not only the Dragons in the opposition but dragons of their own as they bounced back to rack up a half-century and reignite their Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign in Durban on Friday night with a 51-3 victory.