Cape Town based Super Rugby franchise the Stormers completed their Super Rugby pre-season with a 29-14 victory over the Jaguares at Newlands on Saturday afternoon.
The match was the Jaguars first against another team as 2016 will be their first season in Super Rugby.
Their lack of familiarity showed early on as they trailed 12-0 at half time against a Stormers team with several experienced campaigners.
The Stormers outscored the Argentina visitors 4-1 in the try count but given their overwhelming possession advantage they probably left, at least, three tries out on the park.
A steady drizzle greeted the teams when they ran on in front of just over 5 000 spectators. The rain would have proved a welcome relief from the humid, hot weather that has been prevailing in the Mother City for the past few days.
An early scrum showed that Stormers could again reign supreme at this set-piece. At a 12th-minute scrum, the Stormers came close to pushing opponents over the tryline.
The Buenos Aires visitors enjoyed several short attacking spells which allowed them to take play up to the Stormers’ 22-metre area although they never looked like breaching the defence. The Stormers, on occasions, relied on cover defence out wide to check the Jaguares’ advances.
Stormers fullback Dillyn Leyds initiated the opening score when his leftwing Leolin Zas collected his grubber behind the Jaguares backline in the 21st minute and ran into score next to the posts. Flyhalf Robert du Preez converted (7-0).
Leyds himself got in on the scoring act five minutes ahead of the break after the Stormers’ three-quarters came to light with some variation in the backline to prise open the Jaguares defence. Du Preez’s conversion attempt was wide, and the sides went on change ends at 12-0.
The Stormers wasted no time in taking play up the Jaguares’ tryline straight after the restart but their lone reward was a Du Preez penalty in the 45th minute.
The Jaguares wrested the initiative around the 50th-minute mark and they made their pressure count when substitute Santiago Iglesias Valdez slipped a tackle to score under the posts. Jaguares scrumhalf Martin Landajo added the conversion to reduce the deficit (15-7).
The Stormers responded with strong passage of play, lasting last some six minutes, in the Jaguares’ 22m area but without capitalising.
The Stormers substitute Khanyo Ngcukana eventually made the breakthrough with a solo effort just after the hour mark. He ran in from 35 metres out, slipping several tackles en route, to score the Stormers’ third try. Substitute Brandon Thomson goaled the conversion to take the Stormers lead out to 22-7.
Former Junior Springbok lock JD Schickerling rounded off the home side’s scoring with a fourth try, three minutes from the end. Thomson’s conversion was on target (29-7).
Right at the death, Jaguares loosie Tomas Lezana scored a converted try next to the posts (29-14).
Final Score Stormers 29 (12) Jaguars 14 (0)
Scorers
Stormers
Tries: Leolin Zas, Dillyn Leyds, Khanyo Ngcukana, JD Schickerling.
Conversions: Robert du Preez, Brandon Thomson (2).
Penalty: Du Preez
Jaguares
Tries: Santiago Iglesias Valdez, Tomas Lezana
Conversions: Martin Landajo, Valdez
Teams
Stormers
15 Dillyn Leyds, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Johnny Kotze, 12 Huw Jones, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Robert Du Preez, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr (captain), 7 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Oli Kebble.
Replacements: Scarra Ntubeni, Michael Willemse, JC Janse van Rensburg, JP Smith, Alistair Vermaak, Jan de Klerk, JD Schickerling, Rikus Bothma, Jurie van Vuuren, Nic Groom, Godlen Masimla, Louis Schreuder, Kurt Coleman, Brandon Thompson, Ryan Oosthuizen, Khanyo Ngcukana.
Jaguares
Santiago Garcia Botta, Agustin Creevy (c), Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro,Matias Alemanno, Thomas Lavanini, Thomas Lezana, Facundo Isa, Martin Landajo, Nicolas Sanchez, Santiago Cordero, Jeronimo De la Fuente, Matias Moroni,Matias Orlando, Joaquin Tuculet.
Replacements from : Felipe Arregui, Gabriel Ascarate, Rodrigo Baez, Cristian Bartolini, Gonzalo Bertranou, Emiliano Boffelli, Thomas Carrio, , Felipe Ezcurra, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Ramiro Herrera, Santiago Iglesias Valdez, Ignacio Larrague, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Pablo Matera, Julian Montoya, Ramiro Moyano, Lucas Noguera, Javier Ortega Desio, Guido Petti, Leonardo Senatore,
