Stormers dent Sale’s chances of qualification

Stormers: (14) 40

Tries: Schickerling, Libbok, Sithole, Gelant, De Wet, Venter Cons: Libbok 4, Du Plessis

In round three, the Stormers resurrected their Investec Champions Cup campaign by cruise past Sale Sharks to earn a bonus-point victory.

The South African side’s opening two games saw the home fans put on a show in Cape Town, but the home team’s director of rugby, John Dobson, delivered on that promise.

Before Manie Libbok collected a defensive box kick inside his own half before running clear to score the second try, JD Schickerling made his 50th Stormers appearance.

Sale had a strong opening half, but their hosts lacked the clinical edge when Luke James spilled a straightforward cross-field kick for a direct line-to-the-field conversion.

Before Warrick Gelant’s bonus point was redeemed before the hour mark, James’ misfortune would be regretted as Sti Sithole fired over from close range for the Stormers’ third try.

Before fellow replacement Andre-Hugo Venter burrowed over the whitewash to give the impressive display more gloss, Paul de Wet made his way to the line for try number five.

On points difference, the Stormers move out of Pool 4’s bottom four and take Sale’s spot in the final qualifying spot.

The five South Africans on the Sale side, including the Du Preez brothers trio, are familiar with Cape Town, but the visitors had a difficult time adjusting to the game.

Outside centre Wandisile Simelane, who had to pass a rooted Joe Carpenter to feed Schickerling for a run-in, was the star of the opening try.

When the Stormers invaded their own territory before firing a box kick to relieve pressure, the situation quickly escalated for Carpenter, who was the only Sale player not on the attacking line.

Libbok beat the Sale full-back with ease to double his side’s advantage as he had the quickest reaction and ran after the ball to take it cleanly.

Before the break, the Stormers sent Frans Malherbe, a South African prop, to the sin-bin, and Sale responded with force after the break, but James was unable to intercept a perfectly weighted cross-field kick from his midfield partner Sam Bedlow, which would undoubtedly have resulted in Sale’s return to the game.

Instead, the hosts punished Sharks with a powerful finish by Sithole.

Rob du Preez, the Sale captain, was forced to take a late hit on Suleiman Hartzenberg two minutes later before Carpenter joined him on the naughty step for a deliberate knock-on.

Stormers were unflinching when they faced 13 men in a brief, and Gelant had already clinched the seemingly unavoidable bonus point.

Sale had possession, but they were unable to capitalize on the Stormers’ eight turnovers as De Wet and Venter scored additional tries.

Replacements: Venter, Vermaak, Fouche, Van Heerden, Roos, De Villiers, De Wet, Du Plessis.

Sale Sharks: Carpenter, Roebuck, James, Bedlow, Reed, R du Preez (co-capt), Warr, Rodd, Cowan-Dickie, John, Van Rhyn, Andrews, JL du Preez, 7. T Curry (co-capt), 8. D du Preez.

Replacements: McElroy, McIntyre, Harper, Beaumont, Bamber, Thomas, Ma’asi-White, B Curry.