It’s all Stormers
Spectators were treated to a thrilling encounter when the DHL Stormers faced the Vodacom Bulls in a Super Rugby warm-up match, which was played at the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex on Saturday.
POLOKWANE – Spectators were treated to a thrilling encounter when the DHL Stormers faced the Vodacom Bulls in a Super Rugby warm-up match, which was played at the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex on Saturday.
The DHL Stormers beat the Vodacom Bulls 26-19.
The DHL Stormers drew first blood with a try from flanker, Siya Kolisi to take an early 5-0 lead. The Vodacom Bulls bounced back with two tries, one by prop, Dean Greyling and the other by replacement flanker, Jono Ross.
At half-time, the Vodacom Bulls led 12-5 and seemed to have gotten the better of the DHL Stormers. But the DHL Stormers clawed their way back through a second try from Kolisi to level the score to 12-12.
Vodacom Bulls’ flanker, Arno Botha scored their third try of the match and they once again took the lead with the score 19-12. But things changed in the DHL Stormers’ favour. Botha, just after scoring his try, left the field with a knee injury.
The second blow for the Vodacom Bulls was when scrumhalf, Francois Hougaard was sent off the field with a yellow card for a professional foul.
DHL Stormers’ third try was scored by flyhalf, Demetri Catrakilis, who converted it to once again tie the match at 19-19.
Both sides defended their goal lines, but in the dying moments of the match, DHL Stormers’ replacement winger, Scott van Breda broke the Vodacom Bulls’ defense to dive over the try line in the right hand corner. The try was converted by Catrakilis to give the DHL Stormers a 26-19 victory.
DHL Stormers coach, Allister Coetzee said it was great to see so much support for the team.
He complimented those responsible for bringing the match to Polokwane and described it as a success.
The Polokwane mayor, Freddy Greaver, who is the driving force behind the initiative to bring the match to the city said the municipality’s three-year deal with the Blue Bulls Company had ended, but this was not the end of the road.
He said he was positive the contract would be renewed.
The Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup team also lost their curtain raiser match against the Golden Lions by 26-24.
