Vincent Koch & Bongi Mbonambi

The Stormers recorded a 34 / 3 pre-season win over an SWD Eagles side in very humid conditions at George’s Outeniqua Park on Saturday.

The young Stormers outfit was playing in their first of 3 pre-season clashes ahead of the 2015 Super Rugby season and they were well tested by their hosts in front of a capacity crowd.

In the end, however, coach Allister Coetzee would have been pleased with his team’s 5 tries to 0 victory – mainly because the game gave him an opportunity to give some key men a run-out and test some new combinations in the process and, also, because there were no fresh injury concerns to report after the match.

New faces like Dillyn Leyds, Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi, Wilco Louw, David Ribbans, Robert du Preez, Huw Jones and Neil Rautenbach all got game time, whilst skipper Duane Vermeulen got some minutes in his first match as full-time skipper of this side.

Fullback Cheslin Kolbe and right-wing EW Viljoen crossed for tries in the first half as the Stormers led 15-3 at the break while winger Huw Jones (on debut) and flanker Rynhardt Elstadt scored in the second half.

The Stormers, whose scrum looked in menacing form throughout the day, finished with a flourish as they were rewarded with a penalty try in the 78th minute from yet another powerful scrum on the Eagles’ line.

Flyhalf Kurt Coleman successfully kicked 2 conversions and 1 penalty goal – both his missed conversions being from out wide and also missing a long-range penalty attempt in the first half – whilst replacement Robert du Preez converted the penalty try.

Skipper Vermeulen said, “The humidity made it tough for us – plus I thought the SWD Eagles made it hard for us too. But it’s a start for us, a start to 2015 and we certainly look forward to getting better from here.

“Wherever we go, we’re so lucky to have such great support and I’d like to thank the people of George for coming out to support us.”

Scorers:

Stormers (34):

• Tries: Cheslin Kolbe (1), EW Viljoen (1), Huw Jones (1), Rynhardt Elstadt (1), Penalty Try (1)
• Conversions: Kurt Coleman (2), Robert du Preez (1)
• Penalties: Kurt Coleman (1)

SWD Eagles (3):

• Penalties: Elric van Vuuren (1)

SWD Eagles: 15 Elric van Vuuren, 14 Clint Wagman, 13 Kirsten Heyns, 12 Luzuko Vulundli, 11 Alshaun Bock, 10 Leighton Eksteen, 9 Dillon Snell, 8 Zandre Jordaan, 7 Christo du Plessis (Captain), 6 Junior Bester, 5 Mzwanele Zito, 4 Schalk Oelofse, 3 Pieter Stemmet, 2 Maruis Fourie, 1 Layle Delo.

DHL Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 EW Viljoen, 13 Juan de Jongh (Vice-captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Kurt Coleman, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (Captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Jurie van Vuuren, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Referee: Quinton Immelman

Stormers coach Allister Coetzee is hoping the work put in during pre-season, as well as the dominant display at scrum time against the SWD Eagles, proves itself against sterner opposition in the Cheetahs next week.

The Stormers romped home to a 34 / 3 victory against the minnow opposition in a pre-season friendly in George on Saturday, but as in all pre-season games, it is less about the result and more about impressing in aspects around the around the park.

For Coetzee, he was clearly pleased at the way the scrums, as well as his returning and new front row forwards, went as they decimated the Eagles pack.

“I have to compliment the Eagles, who never gave up – we obviously dominated the scrums and other aspects,” Coetzee said after the match.

“Overall I am reasonably happy with a lot of aspects of our game, but the guys are well aware that we have a lot of work to do.

“The pre-season friendlies were planned so that we build up to a climax.

“It will definitely be a much bigger challenge against the Cheetahs next week [Friday, at Newlands].”

Coetzee praised some of his younger front row forwards, in former Bulls youngster Wilco Louw as well as Oliver Kebble.

“I was happy when Wilco and Oli came on,” he added.

“The scrums were outstanding but I don’t want to boast too much about the them.

“There has been a lot of focus on the set pieces in the off-season and I hope we see the same next week.

“The most important is to take a step forward in every game.”

The major result for Coetzee and his charges, as with all pre-season games, is that there were no injuries as they head into a bigger pre-season fixture against the Cheetahs.

“It was a very successful game in terms of the fact that there are no injuries,” the coach said.

“We got the first game out the way and we had some real contact.

“Next week against the Cheetahs the plan is to work closer to a group of 26 players,

“Depending on how players like Nizaam and Siya have recovered they will certainly be considered.

“Others like Demetri, Eben and Jean Kleyn could also return.