Stormers 43-21 Edinburgh: Hosts batter Scots to leapfrog them in URC table
- Published
Jake Henry scored 13 minutes into his professional debut
United Rugby Championship: Stormers v Edinburgh |
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Stormers: (26) 43 |
Tries: Hartzenberg 3, Zas 2, Roos 2 Cons: Libbock 3, Matthee |
Edinburgh: (14) 21 |
Tries: Henry, Mata, Harrison Cons: Healy 3 |
Stormers leapfrogged Edinburgh in the United Rugby Championship table after a seven-try, bonus-point win at Cape Town Stadium.
Wingers Suleiman Hartzenberg and Leolin Zas both scored first-half doubles for the hosts, as Edinburgh tried to hit back through tries from debutant Jake Henry and departing Bill Mata.
The South African side built on their lead after the break as Hartzenberg added his third of the day, before number eight Evan Roos crossed either side of Patrick Harrison's try.
Stormers move on to 35 points in fifth, a point and a place above Edinburgh.
Taking on the Stormers in Cape Town was always going to be a tough test and it was made even tougher for the visitors before the game as Emiliano Boffelli was ruled out with a back spasm.
It did not take the hosts long to hit their straps either, as Mannie Libbok picked out 20-year-old Hartzenberg with a cross kick. Edinburgh skipper Ben Vellacott slipped, allowing the young winger to gather untouched.
Edinburgh replied quickly as Matt Currie picked a loose ball off the deck and popped to Henry, who finished from 22m out to level, but parity did not last long as Hartzenberg added his second four minutes later.
The hosts thought they had stretched their lead when Wandisile Simelane crossed the line but Chris Dean's knee knocked the ball loose as Simelane - on his Stormers debut - touched down.
There was still time for three more first-half tries. Zas got his first when Ben Healy tried a no-look scoop pass, with the winger picking off and running in, before Mata crashed over from the back of a line-out.
Zas added his second on the brink of half-time and Hartzenberg got his hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half as he glided over in the corner once more.
Roos ended the game as a contest when he rampaged through a scattered Edinburgh pack from the line-out, giving the hosts a 22-point lead.
Paddy Harrison reduced the arrears temporarily but Roos wrestled over from close range for his second to restore the Stormers' commanding advantage.
Stormers: Willemse, Hartzenberg, Simelane, D. du Plessis, Zas, Libbok, de Wet, Harris, Venter, Malherbe, Moerat, van Heerden, Xaba, Dixon, Roos.
Replacements: Loader for Zas (59), Matthee for Libbok (71), Jantjies for de Wet (59), Gqoboka for Harris (51), Dweba for Venter (59), Fouche for Malherbe (40), Evans for Moerat (64), Dayimani for Xaba (56).
Edinburgh: Goosen, Henry, Bennett, Currie, Dean, Healy, Vellacott, Venter, Cherry, Nel, Hodgson, Skinner, Muncaster, Watson, Mata.
Replacements: Lang for Bennett (14), Shiel for Vellacott (67), De Bruin for Venter (59), Harrison for Cherry (59), Sebastian for Nel (59), Sykes for Hodgson (59), Dodd for Muncaster (67). Not Used: Scott. Sin Bin: De Bruin (80).