Natal Sharks 12 Investec Stormers 42

A storming victory for the Western Province side over the Natal Sharks who had a convincing six tries to two triumph in their Super 12 warm-up match at The Stoop.

In an incident-filled match that contained a penalty try for each side in the opening quarter, and two players sent to the sin bin from each side, the
Stormers gained a useful psychological advantage for their return match in Cape Town in a fortnight.

In a lively opening the Stormers opened the scoring through their Springbok captain Corne Krige who forced his way over from a lineout close to the Sharks' line after 12 minutes.

Chris Rossouw converted the score and was soon called upon to add a second
conversion after the Stormers were awarded a penalty try from English official Ashley Rowden after Rudi Keil was penalised for deliberately grounding an attempted pass from former London Irish wing man Pieter Rossouw.

Four minutes later there was another penalty try, this time awarded to the
Sharks after the Stormers were penalised at a ruck close to their line following Stormers winger Egon Seconds whose attempted clearance cannoned off Stefan Terblanche to set up an awkward field position. Herkie Kruger easily converted to put the Sharks back in the match.

The Stormers looked pretty composed but the half ended with some incident with yellow cards being shown to Sharks lock Philip Smit and Stormers flank forward Pierre Uys.

The Stormers went further ahead early into the second half after Lean van Dyk
went close to scoring for the second time in the match and the Stormers were
able to work Selborne Boome over for a third try that Chris Rossouw converted
for a 21-7 lead.

The Rossouw brothers then combined to add a fourth try via Pieter Rossouw who
scored for the second time at The Stoop this season, the first occasion being his one and only score for London Irish.

Midway through the half the Stormers went 35-7 up when Adri Badenhorst was
worked under the sticks following a scrum and off-load from Jaco Gouws and from here on in there was only ever going to be the one winner.

Springbok winger Breyton Paulse added a sixth try in stoppage time that Chris Rossouw converted.

But the final word went with the Sharks who scored a consolation second try through their lock Albert van den Berg.