Stormers pack overpower Leinster as defending URC Champions taken apart

The Stormers dominated Leinster in the scrum, in the air and at the breakdown. 

Indiscipline cost Leinster against the Stormers. They conceded 16 penalties to the South African side's six. Pic ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/EJ Langner

URC: Stormers 35 Leinster 0

Leinster’s tough fixture list became even more difficult after their set piece was dismantled by the Stormers in Cape Town, which was a significant factor in a 35-0 (half-time 6-0) defeat.

The reigning United Rugby Championship champions were taken apart in the scrums, in the air and at the breakdown. With a trip to Loftus to face the Bulls next week, things don’t become easier.

Leinster were without a host of Lions but this Stormers starting team only included three Springboks - all of them what could be described as 'fringe' Test players.

The Stormers came into the game talking of expansive rugby but produced a Test-like performance based on the power of the pack and brilliant contestable kicking that the Leinster back three failed to manage.

To compound matters, Leinster’s discipline fell apart on the back of losing just about every aspect of the game. They conceded 16 penalties to the Stormers’ six.

There were yellow cards for replacement lock Max Deegan and wing Tommy O’Brien for a dangerous tackle on outstanding wing Seabelo Senatla. O’Brien can count himself lucky it was not upgraded to red.

Senatla did not get on the scoresheet but he was a constant threat and showed that high work rate and total commitment to the team are as important as scoring tries. The Stormers scored four – three coming after halftime – as the pressure told after a wasteful first half by the home team.

Flyhalf Jurie Matthee scored 20 points from a try, three conversions and three penalties while there were further tries for scrum-half Stefan Ungerer, No 8 Evan Roos and flank Ruan Ackermann.

Leinster were hardly in the game in the first half, barely making an incursion into Stormers territory.

Conversely, the home side were wasteful with their surplus of territory ensuring that the match was a lot closer at half-time than it should have been.

Stormers coach John Dobson might feel aggrieved at what appeared to be the Stormers’ opening try, scored by flank Paul de Villiers from a close range rolling maul, being ruled out. Lock Adre Smith was allegedly in an offside position when the maul was set.

The Stormers crossed a second time five minutes from half-time but fullback Wandisile Simelane’s celebration was cut short when he was called back for a forward pass in the build-up.

Matthee also missed two penalty attempts, which all added up to frustration for the home side and a lifeline for Leinster.

But after the break the Stormers’ pressure finally told when Sam Prendergast’s attempted kick/pass was partially charged down and Senatla scooped it up before feeding Ungerer for the try.

After that, the Leinster scrum completely disintegrated – at one stage they conceded four scrum penalties in 11 minutes.

From two of those the Stormers kicked to the corner and from rolling mauls Roos and Ackermann finished.

Matthee secured the bonus point with a fine dummy, recognising that Leinster were down to 13 men at the time, and 40 metre run to the line.

Scorers for Stormers: Tries: Stefan Ungerer, Evan Roos, Ruan Ackermann, Jurie Matthee. Conversions: Matthee (3). Penalties: Matthee (3) 

STORMERS: 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel (captain), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers (R Ackermann), 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Vernon Matongo.

Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Olly Reid, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Dewaldt Duvenage, 23 Clinton Swart.

LEINSTER: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Ciarán Frawley, 11 Jordan Larmour, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke McGrath (captain), 8 James Culhane, 7 Scott Penny, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 Brian Deeny, 4 Diarmuid Mangan, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Gus McCarthy, 1 Jack Boyle.

Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Paddy McCarthy, 18 Andrew Sparrow, 19 Max Deegan, 20 Will Connors, 21 Fintan Gunne, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Hugh Cooney.