Some magic from the Stormers’ backline and excellent mauling by the forwards in the second half rescued their game against the Ospreys in Cape Town on Friday evening.
Thanks to a couple of second-half tries, the home side secured a hard-fought 26–10 victory over a determined Welsh outfit who arrived at the DHL Stadium looking to cause an upset. Although the Ospreys had the Stormers under pressure in the first half, they couldn’t sustain it in the second forty minutes.
It was the Stormers’ first win over the visitors in the last four meetings, and it helped them maintain their unbeaten start to the new URC season. While they couldn’t match the tries they scored last weekend in their 35–0 rout of Leinster to bag a bonus point, keeping the visitors scoreless in the second half will give them plenty of momentum for their overseas tour.
The Ospreys started strongly again, as they did last week at Loftus Versfeld, and led 10–8 at halftime, with the Stormers struggling to find rhythm. They had the upper hand in the scrums, but little else was working. Despite looking sharp early on, they failed to capitalise on an early opportunity.
After weathering the early storm, it was a series of penalties conceded by the home side that led to the first try, scored by scrumhalf Kieran Hardy. His effort had the Cape side behind their posts after just three minutes of play. Seven minutes later, however, a pinpoint crossfield kick by flyhalf Jurie Matthee was finished off by eighth man Evan Roos.
Hardy’s second try came after a breakout by winger Daniel Kasende from their own half, restoring the visitors’ lead. But those were the final points that the Ospreys managed on the day, thanks to the Stormers’ strong defence and relentless work at the breakdown.
Sevens magic from Seabelo Senatla 🪄
Spell-binding offload & boot from Ruhan Nel 🧙♂️
Flying finish for Wandisile Simelane 🤩
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The Stormers’ scrum dominance continued in the second half, helping them out of trouble in several tight spots. Cleaner ball from the rucks also allowed them to build sustained pressure.
They took the lead just four minutes into the second half via a second penalty from Matthee, before pulling away through two more tries — one from fullback Wandisile Simelane after a classic piece of Stormers running rugby involving captain Ruhan Nel and winger Seabelo Senatla, and another from replacement loose forward Paul de Villiers, who dotted down at the back of a powerful rolling maul.
While the Stormers went in search of a fourth try, a late knock-on denied them the chance to secure a bonus point.
Still, the victory was a significant one and keeps them among the top teams on the URC log.
Points scorers
Stormers 26 (8): Tries: Evan Roos, Wandisile Simelane, Paul de Villiers. Conversion: Jurie Matthee. Penalties: Matthee (3). Ospreys 10 (10): Tries: Kieran Hardy (2).
