Seven-try Stormers blow away Benetton

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored 26 points in an emphatic victory for the Stormers against fellow Vodacom URC playoff contenders Benetton in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Stormers produced a dominant first-half performance to race into a 30-0 lead at the break, and scored seven tries in a 56-5 bonus-point win at Cape Town Stadium.

Victory for the Capetonians, who beat Connacht in a thrilling clash last week, saw them climb from eighth to sixth on the table with two rounds remaining of the league stages, while Benetton dropped to eighth.

Tighthead prop Sazi Sandi opened the scoring early with his first try for the Stormers, and flyhalf Feinberg-Mngomezulu kept the scoreboard ticking with three conversions, two penalties and a drop goal. 

🔥 Sizzling Sazi goes through the gap! #STOvBEN #iamastormer @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/agnl8n1ghF

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) April 26, 2025

A sharp break and quick tap from Feinberg-Mngomezulu paved the way for centre Dan du Plessis to score under the posts, before speedster Seabelo Senatla dotted down after slick work from HIA replacement Suleiman Hartzenberg. 

Despite a near 10-minute period of scrum resets close to their line, the Stormers held firm defensively. However, Sandi’s repeated infringements earned him a yellow card just before the break, leaving the hosts to start the second half with 14 men.

👀 Can’t take your eyes off this for too long. #STOvBEN #iamastormer @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/PwlBYbh6zO

— DHL Stormers (@THESTORMERS) April 26, 2025

Benetton No 10 Umaga sliced through for the visitors’ only score of the match after the restart, but the Stormers hit back through Marcel Theunissen, who powered over to secure the bonus point before Damian Willemse’s yellow card briefly reduced the hosts to 14 men again. 

The numerical disadvantage hardly mattered as left winger Leolin Zas intercepted and raced clear for a long-range score. When substitute Siua Maile was sin-binned for a dangerous hit on Evan Roos, the floodgates opened.

Man of the Match Paul de Villiers scored his first Stormers try off a driving maul, before Feinberg-Mngomezulu added the finishing touches with a late try of his own to complete the rout.

The Stormers have a week off as teams switch into European cup mode until the URC resumes on the weekend of 9 and 10 May. John Dobson’s men return to action at home to Dragons, before closing their league campaign with a visit from Cardiff (16 May).

However, Dobson will be sweating over the fitness of 40-year-old prop Brok Harris, who was forced off following a head knock in the final 10 minutes of Saturday’s encounter.

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Photo: @THESTORMERS/Twitter