The Sharks have played the Stormers 28 times in Super Rugby, winning 15 matches and losing 13.
It is winning 54% for the Sharks against the Stormers, in that the tournament.
- The Sharks have won four of their last five games against the Stormers (L1) although their one defeat in that run came in their most recent meeting, in Round 18 last season.
- The Sharks have won their first two games of the season and will be aiming to win three consecutive matches for the first time since the beginning of 2017 when they won four on the bounce.
- The Sharks have won all 21 of their scrums this season, the most of any side and one of six teams to still have a 100% scrum success rate after the opening two rounds of action.
- Eight of the last nine Super Rugby games between the Sharks and Stormers have seen the home side score the opening try of the game; however, the side to score the first try in that span has gone on to lose on four occasions.
- Dillyn Leyds has scored three tries in his last three Super Rugby games away from home for the Stormers, making 34 carries for 209m gained in that period.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kickoff.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal for the second South African derby of the day. Curwin Bosch is a late change for the Sharks. In comes Rhyno Smith on the bench.
2.00: Some encouraging signs from the home team. everything goes through flyhalf Rob du Preez and Lukhanyo Am. The Sharks’ back three is also HOT, right now.
3.00: Tendai Mtawarira is pinged for not releasing at the maul, once it became a ruck.
5.00: TRY! Damian Willemse intercepts Andre Esterhuizen’s errant pass and runs away to score under the posts. 0-5
6.00: CONVERSION! SP Marais can’t miss from there. 0-7
9.00: The Sharks have an attacking lineout inside the Stormers’ 22.
11.00: Jacques Vermeulen loses the ball in contact with Siya Kolisi.
14.00: The hosts win a penalty after a scrum-penalty. Du Preez calls for the tee.
15.00: PENALTY! Du Preez adds the three and puts the Sharks on the scoreboard. 3-7
17.00: Referee Jaco Peyper catches the home side offsides and awards a kickable penalty to the visitors.
18.00: MISS! Marais pushes his kick, wide. 3-7
19.00: Am saves the day after the Stormers won a turnover from Pieter-Steph du Toit. Dangerous position for the hosts, five metres from their goal line.
21.00: Kolisi goes close, but knocks on. An advantage to the away side means they opt for another lineout.
22.00: YELLOW CARD! Am is sent to the sin-bin for offsides, but it’s the repeated infringements that got for the centre sent off.
23.00: That is slack by the visitors. They lose the ball forward, trying to set up another driving maul. Scrum to the hosts.
25.00: Du Preez clears deep into the Stormers’ half, but his side is caught offsides YET AGAIN! Phepsi Buthelezi is the culprit.
26.00: MISS! The flags stay down. Marais’ radar is faulty, today. 3-7
28.00: A difficult ball for Robert du Preez Snr’s men from a lineout leads to a turnover and a penalty advantage for the visitors. Louis Schreuder is called over by Mr Peyper and told that “he’s not here to be anyone’s favourite” and the scrumhalf’s side must beware.
29.00: PENALTY! Marais, finally, gets a kick over. 3-10
32.00: Am re-enters the field of play. The Sharks got away with those 10 minutes, conceding just three points.
34.00: Sbu Nkosi kicks a big but wayward kick, over the dead-ball line. The Sharks look a different team from the one that beat the Blues.
36.00: Coenie Oosthuizen is the next Shark to be penalised, this one is for collapsing the scrum. Du Plessis kicks into the opposition’s half and the visitors will have another crack at the hosts.
37.00: Schreuder tries to take a quick 22, he succeeds, but throws a loose pass, killing his side.
38.00: YELLOW CARD! Akker van der Merwe is sent to the bin.
38.00: PENALTY! Marais extends the lead. 3-13
40.00: The Sharks get a scrum after winning the ruck. Kerron van Vuuren is on for Van der Merwe and Buthelezi is sacrificed for eight minutes. Ryno Smith is on for Fassi, who failed an HIA.
41.00: Penalty at the scrum to the Sharks. Du Preez boots to the 22. One last (only) attack of the half for the home team.
42.00: Am throws the ball into touch and ends a dismal half of rugby.
The halftime score was Sharks 3 Stormers 13
The Stormers have dominated territory and possession with 59 per cent for both.
The Sharks have made five handling errors, conceded five turnovers and nine penalties (excluding multiple penalty-advantages) and lost two lineouts on their own throw. What is going on?
Robbie Fleck’s side has been solid, but have not punished the home team, despite having two players yellow carded. Marais has missed two penalties as well.
Fleck still needs to address his side’s lack of cutting edge and threat with the ball in hand because they’ve only scored two tries in five halves of Super Rugby, this season.
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway at Kings Park, Durban. The Sharks have it all to do because they’ve been poor and treated like schoolboys, by the Stormers.
42.00: TRY! Daniel du Preez bashes his way forward, Oosthuizen gets involved, too as the hosts go nine phases before Am flops over the whitewash. 8-13
43.00: MISS! Du Preez pushes his kick well wide. 8-13
45.00: A kicking battle ensues as both teams look for the territorial advantage.
47.00: YELLOW CARD! The men in black and white are starting to find their groove. The forwards are taking over, despite being a man down. Dan du Plessis has caught Makazole Mapimpi, high, and is getting his marching orders. Van der Merwe returns.
48.00: NO TRY! Kolisi stops ‘Beast’ and the prop looks to have lost the ball forward as well as having a foot in touch. Mtawarira’s foot is in touch. That took an age from the TMO but it’s the right call.
50.00: Du Preez Snr has got his men playing after the break. Sharks have a penalty advantage for a high tackle by John Schickerling on the coach’s son.
51.00: PENALTY! Du Preez can’t miss from in front. 11-13
52.00: Esterhuizen leaves the field for former SA under-20 skipper Jeremy Ward.
55.00: Big kick by Smith puts his side back into enemy territory.
58.00: Eben Etzebeth charges from the side and smokes Schreuder, conceding a penalty for unsafe play, too.
60.00: We are entering the final quarter of this dour Super Rugby derby. Still nothing much happening except knock-ons, penalties and yellow cards.
62.00: The Sharks give away another unnecessary penalty, letting the visitors off the hook.
63.00: Jean-Luc du Plessis is off, Willemse moves to flyhalf and Dillyn Leyds comes on at fullback.
65.00: Cameron Wright stops Juarno Augustus getting on to Dan du Plessis’ kick, but the away team had another penalty advantage.
66.00: PENALTY! Marais gets the Stormers first points since the break. 11-16
69.00: Sharks are finding some momentum, late in the game. Can they hold on?
71.00: NO! They lose the ball again in contact.
74.00: The game is coming to a slow and ponderous conclusion, one that will be forgotten as soon as Jaco Peyper blows for full time.
78.00: The Stormers are looking for their third try of the season; they are camped inside the home team’s 22.
79.00: The Cape side is patiently building through the phases, running down the clock; however, they lose the ball in contact after 11 phases. The Sharks have one last chance to salvage this disaster.
81.00: Etzebeth wins the turnover and that’s the game. THANK GOD!
FULL TIME
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The final score is Sharks 11 (3) Stormers 16 (13)
Scorers
Sharks
Tries – Am
Pen – R. du Preez (2)
Con –
Drop –
Cards – Am (Yellow, 22′), Van der Merwe (Yellow, 38′)
Stormers
Tries – Willemse
Pen – Marais (3)
Con – Marais
Drop –
Cards – D. du Plessis (Yellow, 47′)
Match Officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Ref 1: Egon Seconds
Assistant Ref 2: Divan Uys
TMO: Willie Vos
Teams
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder (captain), 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Tyler Paul, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Hyron Andrews, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Gideon Koegelenberg, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Jeremy Ward, 23 Rhyno Smith.
Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 SP Marais, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Jaco Coetzee, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 John Schickerling, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Chris van Zyl, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Justin Phillips, 22 Ruhan Nel, 23 Dillyn Leyds.
