Manie Libbok’s faultless kicking display and the fired up impact of the Stormers bench led the Kaapse span to a well-deserved 44-21 United Rugby Championship victory over the Dragons on Friday.
It was captain Salmaan Moerat’s manne’s first overseas win in the URC since October 2022 when they beat Italy’s Zebre in Parma.
The win sees the Stormers remain in fifth position on the URC log ahead of their final away pool game against Irish side Connacht in Galway.
But ahead of this week’s trip to Dexcom stadium the Stormers would want to improve on how they start off an away match, after being put under huge amounts of pressure by the Dragons at Rodney Parade.
Costly errors and some poor discipline saw the Stormers trailing 11-10 at halftime, with a converted try by returning winger Angelo Davids and a Libbok penalty keeping them in touching distance.
More errors followed at the start of the second half with the Dragons – a team that have only won three games this season – seeming to turn the screw.
When Aaron Wainwright scored the Dragons’ second try with just over 20 minutes of play left, most Stormers fans’ plak would surely have sakked as they had seen this movie in overseas games before.
Angelo Davids in full flight. #iamastormer #dhldelivers @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/FLwuPPpAIM
But trailing 21-16 they found their mojo, as general Libbok and fullback Warrick Gelant started to pull the strings on attack. Up front the Stormers forwards also got much needed domination in the scrums and line outs.
No.8 Hacjivah Dayimani and versatile back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu also provided huge impact from the bench as the Stormers scored four tries to leave the Dragons in their dust.
Davids started off the scoring-spree when he crossed for his second of the match, before Evan Roos and Feinberg-Mngomezulu with a brace sealed the Dragons’ fate.
Talk about finishing in style. #iamastormer #dhldelivers pic.twitter.com/MTiNkVJlIP
— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) May 11, 2024
Dragons 21 (11) Stormers 44 (10)
Stormers – Tries: Angelo Davids (2), Evan Roos, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2). Conversions: Manie Libbok (5). Penalties: Libbok (3).
Dragons – Tries: Harrison Keddie, Aaron Wainwright. Conversions: Angus O’Brien. Penalties: Will Reed (3).
francois.dewet@inl.co.za