Stormers clinch bonus point win over Scarlets

The Stormers were made to work hard, but eventually prevailed with a vital 29-17 bonus point win over Scarlets in their United Rugby Championship (URC) encounter at the Parc Y Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday afternoon.

The Stormers took a good early lead, before allowing the hosts to fight back every time they put some daylight between them, until a converted score with just over a minute to go clinched the try bonus point and put the tie to bed.

It was an even start to the match between the two teams, but it was the Stormers that settled quickest as they scored two stunning quickfire tries to take a 12-0 lead.

First a great break from fullback Warrick Gelant, followed up by centre Wandisile Simelane, got the Stormers into the Scarlets 22m, where the ball was quickly spread to wing Ben Loader to dive over in the corner.

Gelant and Simelane were then involved heavily in the second try again, breaking into the Scarlets 22m where the recycled ball found its way to flank Deon Fourie to go over, converted by flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the 18^th minute.

Scarlets however responded in the 30^th minute, attacking from a lineout deep in the Stormers 22m, where the ball was slung wide to wing Ellis Mee to dot down in the corner, converted by flyhalf Ioan Lloyd, to make it 12-7.

Just as it looked like that would be the halftime score, Scarlets prop Alec Hepburn received a yellow card for a no arms hit on Feinberg-Mngomezulu, allowing him to pop over the easy penalty for a 15-7 lead at the break.

Scarlets strike

Despite being down to 14 men Scarlets struck first in the second half, again setting up an attack from a lineout on the Stormers 5m, with the ball finding fullback Ioan Nicholas to reach over and dot down the converted score next to the uprights to make it a one point game after 47 minutes.

But the Stormers responded in the 64^th minute, setting up a lineout on the Scarlets 22m, where the ball was passed to wing Leolin Zas running a stunning line to hit a gaping hole in the Scarlets defence to go over untouched, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s extras putting them 22-14 up.

Five minutes later Scarlets received a penalty in the Stormers 22m and chose to go for posts, with Lloyd cutting the deficit to five points going into the final 10 minutes.

It was then the Stormers who shut the door as a top 50-22 gave them a lineout 15m out from the Scarlets tryline, with them getting close for replacement hooker Andre-Hugo Venter to crash over for the seven pointer to seal the win.

Scorers

Scarlets: Tries – Ellis Mee, Ioan Nicholas; Conversions – Ioan Lloyd; Penalty – Lloyd

Stormers: Tries – Ben Loader, Deon Fourie, Leolin Zas, Andre-Hugo Venter; Conversions – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3); Penalty – Feinberg-Mngomezulu