Stormers suffer shock Super Rugby pre-season defeat to the lowly Southern Kings

The Southern Kings gave the star-studded Stormers a timely wake-up call.

At a rain-soaked Loerie Park Sports Ground, in Knysna, the Kings scored the only try of a drab match – winning 13-3.

Playing with the breeze at their backs and in the pouring rain in the first half, the Kings managed to keep the Stormers scoreless in the first half-hour.

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The hosts capitalised on the pressure they piled on the Stormers, with prop Rossouw de Klerk going over for the opening score.

Flyhalf Bader Pretorius added the conversion.

The Stormers replied with a penalty from flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis, to make it 3-7 after 35 minutes – which was also the half-time score.

Despite had the wind at their backs, the Stormers failed to crack the Kings’ defence after the break.

Pretorius added two penalties for the only scores of the second half.

The Kings will look forward to their next outing, a Pro14 derby clash with fellow South African franchise the Cheetahs – in Nelson Mandela Bay next Saturday, January 25.

The Stormers’ final pre-season outing is against the Sharks in the first match of the Super Sunday doubleheader in Soweto.

The scorers:

For the Southern Kings:

Try: De Klerk

Con: Pretorius

Pens: Pretorius 2

For the Stormers:

Pen: Du Plessis

Teams

Southern Kings: 15 Masixole Banda, 14 Christopher Hollis, 13 Sibusiso Sithole, 12 Tertius Kruger, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Bader Pretorius, 9 Theo Maree, 8 Lusanda Badiyana, 7 Bobby der Wee, 6 Luyolo Dapula, 5 John-Charles Astle (captain), 4 Gideon van Niekerk, 3 Rossouw de Klerk, 2 Alandre van Rooyen, 1 Xandre Vos.

Replacements – from: Robin Stevens, Schalk Ferreira, Ig Prinsloo, Ashton Fortuin, Jerry Sexton, Riaan Olivier, Stefan Ungerer, Courtney Winnaar, John Jackson, Edmund Ludik, Andell Loubser.

Stormers: 15 David Kriel, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Michal Hazner, 12 Cornel Smit, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Johan du Toit, 7 De Wet Marais, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 Ben-Jason Dixon, 4 Hilton Lobberts, 3 Frans Malherbe (captain), 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ali Vermaak.

Replacements – from: Schalk Erasmus, Leon Lyons, DJ Putter, Ruan Laubser, Hannes Gous, Paul de Wet, Abner van Reenen, Sihle Njezula, Lyle Hendricks.

Referee: Stuart Berry

- Rugby365

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