Munster’s woes continue as Stormers record easy win

DHL Stormers 34, Munster 19
Munster trailed at the break 14-12 but they showed in the first quarter that they were not in South Africa just for the sunshine. It was the Stormers that got first blood when winger Suleiman Hartzenberg raced clear and Damian Willemse added the conversion. Munster replied with a well-taken touchdown at the other end, Crowley’s accurate kick opening the space for Tom Farrell to get with over and Crowley adding the extras to level the tie. On 27 minutes Munster took the lead when Eoghan Clarke got over but this time Jack Crowley missed the target with the conversion. There was very little between the sides in that opening 40 minutes but the Stormers raced into a nine point advantage after the restart when centre Ruhan Nel raced over with the out-half again accurate from the tee.

Munster created a source of hope, replacement Gavin Coombes who crashed over and with only two points between the teams this game was entering a crucial period. The South Africans opted to take a shot at the posts on 70 minutes and Damian Willemse popped over a penalty and followed it with a drop goal to extend the lead to 27-19. Ruhan Nel helped himself to a second try after to record a finishing score of 34-19.

Seldom have we seen a trail of errors as we witnessed tonight in this game in DHL Stadium in Cape Town. Munster’s lineout was a shambles, there were a series of handling and restart errors which handed possession back to the Stormers  at crucial periods of the game. Next week the Reds face the Sharks in Durban where huge improvement will be requiired.

DHL Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Ruhan Nel, Dan du Plessis (CAPT), Leolin Zas, Damian Willemse, Paul de Wet, Sti Sithole, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche, Adre Smith, JD Schickerling, Marcel Theunissen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Keke Morabe
Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter, Brok Harris, Sazi Sandi, Ruben van Heerden, Dave Ewers, Louw Nel, Herschel Jantjies, Jurie Matthee
Munster: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (CAPT), Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue
Replacements: Eoghan Clarke, Kieran Ryan, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherley, Ruadhán Quinn, Ethan Coughlan, Billy Burns, Seán O’Brien

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 83rd league game)
AR 1: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU) AR 2: AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Hollie Davidson (SRU)

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