Stormers do enough to get the better of London Irish in Cape Town

The Stormers again faded in the second half but had done enough in the first hour to down London Irish 34-14 in their Champions Cup game at Cape Town Stadium.

The visitors produced a final quarter fightback but it was the Stormers' burst after the break that effectively sealed the match that helped keep their hopes alive with a bonus-point win.

The hosts scored a first-half try through Willie Engelbrecht who burst away from a line-out for a converted score.

After the break man of the match Hacjivah Dayimani cleared after the ball fell kindly to Leolin Zas, before the Stormers' third try also had its origins in a London Irish error.

The tourists went on the attack but fumbled allowing Suleiman Hartzenberg to pounce.

The Stormers surged up the left flank again, with Dayimani finding space before a delayed pass found scrumhalf Paul de Wet.

He offloaded to Zas who used his strength to get over the line.

Suddenly the score had ballooned to 24-0 and the match appeared dead as a contest but no-one told London Irish.

Just as the hosts might have harboured thoughts they were going to run away with the game, the tourists started playing with greater resolve. They attacked with zeal with strike runners being put in possession at pace and the Stormers' defenders had their hands full.

The territorial gains London Irish started to make paid off when they hit back through a converted maul try by Mike Willemse.

The momentum stayed with them and they scored another through substitute Will Joseph, while Paddy Jackson again added the extras.

Apart from those two tries London Irish again got over the try line but the effort was disallowed for a push on Hartzenberg that prevented him from contesting a high ball.

Junior Pokomela scored a try that gave the score more respectability at the death.

Worryingly for the Stormers lock Salmaan Moerat, centre Ruhan Nel and wing Zas left the field injured.

Scorers

Stormers (34) — Tries: Willie Engelbrecht, Hacjivah Dayimani, Leolin Zas, Junior Pokomela. Conversions: Manie Libbok (4). Penalties: Libbok (2).

London Irish (14) — Tries: Mike Willemse, Will Joseph (2). Conversions: Paddy Jackson (2).