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The DHL Stormers were the sole bright spot during a difficult weekend for South Africa’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship teams, securing a strong 34-0 bonus-point victory against the Scarlets in Llanelli.

The Cape team’s clean sheet was a clear contrast to Saturday’s outcomes, where the Lions fell 41-15 to Benetton in Treviso, the Hollywoodbets Sharks faced a 31-5 loss against Leinster in Dublin, and the Vodacom Bulls were beaten 28-7 by Ulster in Belfast.

Stormers cruise in Llanelli

In their opening game of the tour, the Stormers scored five tries against the hosts, showcasing a strong offense and reliable defense. Although they received two yellow cards — the same number as the Scarlets — they prevented the local team from scoring at all.

The residents of Cape Town were strengthened by the return of Springboks Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse, who both scored tries near the end of the match. Their inclusion highlighted a balanced performance that showcased the team’s strength and poise when playing outside their home ground.

Evan Roos scored the first points in the 11th minute, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu adding the conversion and later scoring a penalty to give the team a 10-0 lead. The visitors had Ben-Jason Dixon sent to the sin bin shortly after, but the Scarlets’ own mistakes ended up being expensive. Just before half-time, Paul de Villiers crossed for the Stormers’ second try, increasing their lead to 17-0 at the break.

Strong second-half performance secures a decisive victory

The Stormers kept their momentum going after the break, even with another yellow card — this time for Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the 52nd minute. Touchdowns by Ruben van Heerden, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Imad Khan secured the victory in impressive fashion.

The win placed the Stormers in a tie for first in the URC rankings with 14 points, matching Munster, the only other team without a loss following three rounds.

The Bulls’ loss caused them to fall five spots to sixth place with 10 points, while the Sharks and Lions — both still without a victory this season — are positioned 13th and 15th with two and one point respectively.

Both the KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg teams are heading back home this week, looking to restart their campaigns, while the Stormers and Bulls stay overseas to play against Zebre Parma and Connacht, respectively, next weekend.

DHL Stormers 34 (17)

Scorers:

Tries: Evan Roos, Paul de Villiers, Ruben van Heerden, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Imad Khan.Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), Damian Willemse. Penalty goal: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.