The DHL Stormers held out to claim a tense coastal derby victory over the Vodacom Sharks in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) and end 2023 with a third consecutive win.
A penalty from Manie Libbok was all that separated the two teams as the injury-hit Stormers clawed out a 16-15 victory on Saturday night.
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It is the third successive win for the Stormers in all competitions, having scalped La Rochelle in the Champions Cup, before beating the Vodacom Bulls.
A tight contest saw the Stormers go into the break with a five-point lead, thanks to Libbok’s penalty and conversion of Adre Smith’s try.
Adre Smith the scorer but DIXON the creator! 🤯@THESTORMERS lead. @Vodacom #URC | #STOvSHA pic.twitter.com/bckbhfYXk7
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) December 30, 2023
Having come into the match with a stacked medical ward, the Stormers suffered another big blow when veteran centre Ruhan Nel had to be carted off after appearing to injure his knee in the 25th minute.
That prompted a backline reshuffle, as rookie playmaker Jurie Matthee came on for his tournament debut at fullback, causing Damian Willemse to move to inside centre.
The Sharks, who did excellently to draw the Stormers into an arm-wrestle with some big hits on defence, roared back into the second half when lock Corne Rahl, called into the starting lineup at the 11th hour for the ill Eben Etzebeth, powered over the tryline to give the visitors the lead for the first time in the match.
However, a sloppy offsides penalty from the kickoff saw the Sharks immediately surrender their position of ascendency as Libbok stepped up to slot what turned out to be the winning points, as he had done against La Rochelle.
It was, however, a tense final quarter as the Stormers were reduced to 14 men when prop Ali Vermaak was yellow-carded, but the hosts did well to hold their own at the scrums and see out the year with a win.
Having suffered a seventh URC loss of the season, the Sharks will host the Lions next week, while the Stormers have the week off before resuming duty in the Champions Cup at home against Sale Sharks on 13 January.
⚡️ @THESTORMERS have done it AGAIN!
A tight and intense exchange ends in a one point victory for the home side. @Vodacom #URC | #STOvSHA pic.twitter.com/RwldwEelIh
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) December 30, 2023
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Picture: @THESTORMERS / X
Words: SA Rugby Magazine