The most successful United Rugby Championship side, the DHL Stormers are playing host to back-to-back Investec Champions Cup winners La Rochelle today.
Currently leading the Top 14 powerhouse 13 – 0 in Cape Town, the Stormers have put their giant visitors under immense pressure throughout the first half.
Scoring the only try of the match so far, the Stormers relied on some magic from five of their Springbok players to shred the normally resolute La Rochelle defence.
Starting with fullback Warrick Gelant, who gathered a deep clearance kick from La Rochelle and immediately set off on a mazy run.
Just before hitting the La Rochelle defensive line, Gelant popped a soft pass back inside to flyhalf Manie Libbok.
From here, the Springbok playmaker burst through a tackle before being tackled by his opposite number Antoine Hastoy.
Libbok did exceptionally well to keep the ball alive as he popped it off the deck to an onrushing Ruben van Heerden.
The secondrow then took contact to set up a quick ruck, which was recycled beautifully by scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies, who fizzed a pass out to Springbok star Damian Willemse.
Pulling off a slick inside offload, Willemse found captain Salmaan Moerat, who showed plenty of pace before finding Jantjies on his inside.
Diving over the line, the Springbok scrumhalf finished off a superb piece of total team rugby.
The @THESTORMERS came to play and have the reigning champions on the ropes in their @ChampionsCup round of 16 clash.#investecchampionscup #STOvSR pic.twitter.com/a2uo6FCQG0
— FloRugby (@FloRugby) April 6, 2024
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