The Sharks' Stefan Terblanche off loads the ball under pressure during the clash at Newlands
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Matches: Stormers v Sharks at Cape Town, Feb 14, 2009

Tournaments/Tours: Super 14

Teams: Sharks | South Africa | Stormers

The Sharks conjured a second-half comeback to beat the Stormers 20-15 in their opening Super 14 clash at Newlands in Cape Town.

The Stormers opened the scoring with a try midway through the first half from centre Gcobani Bobo. Fly-half Peter Grant slotted the conversion and added a penalty on the stroke of half-time to give the hosts a 10-0 lead at the break.

Stormers skipper Jean de Villiers was stretchered from the field with a neck injury at the start of the second half and the Sharks capitalised on a deflated home side with scrum-half Rory Kockott kicking two penalties.

The visitors then took the lead when hooker John Smit crossed for a try on the hour mark and they had their second try within five minutes through fullback Stefan Terblanche.

The Stormers reduced the arrears with a late try from Grant but they were unable to overhaul their local rivals.

Stormers coach Rassie Erasmus said a neck brace was fittedon De Villiers as a precautionary measure and that the Springboks international had been released from hospital and could be back training by Tuesday.

Stormers: Conrad Jantjes, Tonderai Chavhanga, Gcobani Bobo, Jean de Villiers (captain), Nick Koster, Peter Grant, Ricky Januarie, Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Andries Bekker, Adriaan Fondse, Brian Mujati, Schalk Brits, JD Moller

Replacements: Deon Fourie, Wicus Blaauw, AJ Venter, Luke Watson, Bolla Conradie, Joe Pietersen, Percy Montgomery

Sharks: Stefan Terblanche, Odwa Ndungane, Adi Jacobs, Frans Steyn, JP Pietersen, Ruan Pienaar, Rory Kockott, Ryan Kankowski, Jean Deysel, Keegan Daniel, Johann Muller (captain), Steven Sykes, Jannie du Plessis, John Smit, Deon Carstens

Replacements: Melusi Mthethwa, Bismarck du Plessis, Allistair Hargreaves, Jacques Botes, Ross Cronje, Riaan Swanepoel, Luzuko Vulindlu