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Rusty Hurricanes fail to fire a shot as Stormers dominate
By Online Editors
The Stormers managed to start John Dobson’s coaching tenure with a bonus-point win over a very feisty Hurricanes outfit.
The home team scored four tries – three of them in a dominant first half – to send the New Zealand outfit away empty-handed – a 27-0 shutout at Newlands on Saturday.
The Stormers held a 19-0 lead at the break, but the visitors put up sterner resistance in the second half.
However, the game was marred by the injury of Springbok and Stormers World Cup-winning captain Siyamthanda Kolisi – who hobbled off inside the first quarter. He suffered medial ligament damage, after a shockingly late tackle from Ricky Riccitelli on his left knee.
The post-match disciplinary panel may well have a long, hard look at that cheap shot.
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Stormers coach John Dobson said Kolisi would definitely miss a home fixture against the Bulls next Saturday.
“Siya could be out for six weeks,” Dobson told a post-match media briefing.
“He took a knock to the knee and a scan will reveal how serious the injury is.
“It is a hell of a blow losing your captain midway through the first half of your opening match.
“Siya is an inspirational leader and means so much to the team.”
The Wellington side was particularly niggly throughout the match - possibly due to frustrations creeping in due to a number of basic errors.
Centre Billy Proctor was yellow-carded in the 48th minute after several warnings for repeated offences and he then shoulder-charged Damian Willemse off the ball.
And replacement forward Vaea Fifita got 10 minutes in the sin bin for a high hit on Stormers replacement hooker Siyabonga Ntubeni.
To add to the Stormers’ post-match concerns, Bok hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi also limped off near the 50-minute mark, after getting his leg trapped badly in a ruck.
The Stormers got on the front foot early on, marching into the 22 where they launched a maul and brought the ball in front of the poles where scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies put in a clever cross-kick to find an unmarked Sergeal Petersen out wide.
A turnover near halfway from lock Salmaan Moerat gave them their next attacking opportunity and the forwards took control, with prop Steven Kitshoff crashing over in the corner.
The third try came as a result of defensive pressure as Jantjies intercepted a bouncing pass and raced away to score.
The Stormers then showed good defensive discipline to hold the Hurricanes out and keep them scoreless at the half-time break.
The visitors were shown two yellow cards at the start of the second half, with the Stormers stretching their lead to 22-0 with a Damian Willemse penalty on the hour mark.
The fourth try came at the death as an intercept in the 22 turned defence into attack and Willemse raced away to score and put the seal on an emphatic performance.
- Rugby365
It wasn't the best start to Jason Holland's head coaching career with the Hurricanes:
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Latest Comments
Excellent points Mz. Because of other commitments I have just watched the game.
Interesting watching it after reading all the news reports especially in the English media. I was expecting to see a game that the ABs were very lucky to win. What I saw was a game that England showed their tactical incompetence and their inability to construct any try scoring opportunities.
They can go on deluding themselves that they were unlucky to lose ( as Borthwick said post match ) but until they stop relying on rush defence and goal kicking to win I feel they're doomed to be ranked 4 or 5 in the world.
Can't wait until the weekend to see how the Wallabies go against them
Though I dare say Walter will be hoping for an England win.
Go to commentsIF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.
As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.
Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).
This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.
If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.
Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.
After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.
Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.
Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)
Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.
Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.
Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.
Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:
Seeding Band 1
IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG
Seeding Band 2
SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: FIJI
1/8 final opponent GEORGIA
Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA
1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND
Prognosis: You know the prognosis
I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?
Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.
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