Cape Town – The Stormers literally and figuratively blew the wind out of the sails of the Sale Sharks by smashing the side from Manchester 40-0 here at the DHL Stadium on Saturday.
This much needed bonus point victory puts coach John Dobson’s charges in a position where they are still in with a chance of a Champions Cup last 16 spot.
The Cape outfit led 14-0 at halftime and went on to ensure an emphatic victory by scoring six unanswered tries.
Lock JD Schickerling playing in his 50th match for the Cape franchise crossed first after receiving an inside ball from fleet-footed outside centre Wandisile Simelane.
Flyhalf Manie Libbok scored a brilliant solo try when he gathered a well placed high ball whilst loosehead prop Sti Sithole barrelled over for the third five pointer.
Fullback Warrick Gelant who was deservedly named man of the match for his enterprising play, scored the fourth try in spectacular fashion.
Replacement scrumhalf Paul De Wet sniped around the edge for the fifth try whilst replacement hooker Andre-Hugo Venter crashed over the whitewash to complete half dozen of tries.
Libbok added four conversions with Jean-Luc du Plessis – a blood injury replacement for Libbok – also slotting a conversion.
Sale Sharks boasts a line-up with an impressive array of Springboks and ex-Stormers players. The side is also bolstered by well established English test players such as loose forward Tom Curry and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie.
They were however completely outplayed by the Stormers in almost every aspect of the game.
At times the visitors did get ascendency in the scrums. However, it had no real impact on the outcome even though Bok tighthead prop Frans Malherbe was yellow carded for illegal scrummaging.
It also did not help the Sale Sharks cause that two of their backs were yellow carded in the second half.
Besides Gelant’s genius in the last line of defence and Manie Libbok’s X-factor at flyhalf, the new midfield combination of Jonathan Roche and Wandisile Simelane impressed with their solidity and creativity.
Right wing Suleiman Hartzenberg also had one of his best games for the Stormers.
Up front captain Salmaan Moerat and his partner in the engine room Schickerling dominated the lineouts. The towering locks also showed up well in the tight loose which allowed the loose forwards to ensure quick ruck ball.
The Stormers now travel to Paris where they come up against French Giants Racing 92 at the La Defense Arena next Saturday.
Scorers:
Stormers 40 (14) Tries: JD Schickerling, Manie Libbok, Sti Sithole, Warrick Gelant, Paul de Wet, Andre-Hugo Venter; Conversions: Manie Libbok (4), Jean-Luc du Plessis