The Scarlets suffered their first league whitewash in more than 18 years as a power-packed Stormers side inflicted a comprehensive 34-0 defeat at Parc y Scarlets on Friday night. The South African visitors dominated every facet of play to claim a five-try bonus point and move to the top of the BKT United Rugby Championship table with three wins from as many matches.
Key moments
9′ – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty attempt hits post (0-0)
11′ – Evan Roos try from close range, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts (0-7)
14′ – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty attempt drifts wide (0-7)
17′ – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu penalty goal (0-10)
29′ – Ben-Jason Dixon yellow card for croc roll
33′ – Taine Plumtree yellow card for retaliation
40′ – Paul de Villiers try from driving maul, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts (0-17)
Half-time: Scarlets 0-17 Stormers
53′ – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu yellow card for ruck infringement
58′ – Ruben van Heerden try from close range, Damian Willemse converts (0-24)
65′ – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu try in corner, conversion missed (0-29)
72′ – Macs Page yellow card for deliberate knock-on
74′ – Imad Khan try from close range, conversion missed (0-34)
Full-time: Scarlets 0-34 Stormers
For the hosts, this was another hugely disappointing home performance following their opening-round defeat to Munster. Not since they were beaten 20-0 by Munster in Limerick back in April 2007 had Scarlets failed to register on the scoreboard in a league fixture. The 6,114 crowd, which included new Wales boss Steve Tandy, witnessed a sobering evening as Dwayne Peel’s injury-ravaged squad were outmuscled and outplayed by opponents who had already dispatched defending champions Leinster and Ospreys in Cape Town.
The match was effectively settled in a one-sided first half that saw the Stormers establish complete dominance at forward whilst the hosts conceded a staggering 15 penalties. Despite an all-international front row featuring Springbok hooker Marnus van der Merwe, Scarlets had no answers to the visitors’ set-piece superiority, with their scrum shoved backwards repeatedly and their lineout maul proving equally ineffective. The absence of injured locks Jake Ball and Sam Lousi left Scarlets particularly vulnerable in the tight exchanges.
The Stormers’ forward power set the platform for their victory, though they were initially wayward with their goal-kicking. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the Springbok fly-half who had been outstanding during South Africa’s Rugby Championship triumph, struck an upright with his first penalty attempt in the ninth minute. However, the Cape franchise were not to be denied for long.
Two minutes later, the opening try arrived through the irrepressible Evan Roos. The No 8, who has been in scintillating form this season, capitalised on a powerful 10-metre driving maul that the Scarlets pack simply could not contain. When the maul was halted short of the line, Roos spotted a gap beside the ruck and dived through to score his fourth try in three matches. Feinberg-Mngomezulu made amends for his earlier miss by converting to give the visitors a 7-0 advantage.
The Stormers continued to dominate territory and possession, though Feinberg-Mngomezulu missed another penalty opportunity in the 14th minute. His third attempt three minutes later sailed through the posts to extend the lead to 10-0, and from that point the outcome never looked in doubt. The line-speed of the Stormers’ defensive system was highly impressive, with defence coach Norman Laker’s charges swarming all over the hosts. Even when Scarlets managed brief periods of possession, they frequently lost ground whilst attempting to launch attacks.
The match became increasingly ill-tempered approaching the half-hour mark. Stormers flanker Ben-Jason Dixon was shown a yellow card on 29 minutes for a croc roll at a ruck, temporarily reducing the visitors to 14 men. However, any hope this might provide the Scarlets with an opportunity to gain a foothold in the contest evaporated four minutes later when their own number eight, Taine Plumtree, was sin-binned for retaliation after being taken out off the ball by Roos.
With both sides down to 14 men and Scarlets’ seven-man pack struggling desperately, the home side somehow kept the Stormers at bay until the stroke of half-time. The visitors had been held up over the line once and missed several other opportunities to extend their advantage. But the pressure eventually told in the final minute of the half when, after the Scarlets had conceded their 15th penalty of the opening 40 minutes, flanker Paul de Villiers burst off the side of a driving maul to crash over from close range. Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s conversion made it 17-0 at the interval, though the scoreline flattered the hosts given their complete lack of attacking threat.
Peel rang the changes at half-time, introducing replacements Archer Holz, Dane Blacker and Macs Page in an attempt to inject fresh impetus. The Scarlets did show slightly more ambition in the opening exchanges of the second period, with captain Johnny Williams leading by example with some powerful runs through midfield. Wing Ellis Mee also caught the eye with his endeavour, though the accuracy required to trouble the Stormers’ resolute defence was consistently lacking.
The visitors absorbed what little pressure the hosts could muster and struck for their third try on 58 minutes. A penalty at the breakdown allowed the Stormers to kick to the corner, and though Scarlets defended the initial maul impressively, sustained forward pressure eventually told. Lock Ruben van Heerden powered his way over the line from close range, and with Feinberg-Mngomezulu temporarily off the field serving a yellow card for a cynical ruck infringement, Damian Willemse stepped up to convert and extend the lead to 24-0.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu returned to the action to claim the bonus-point try himself in the 65th minute. The fly-half showed opportunism to scoop up a loose ball and score in the corner, though he struck the post with his conversion attempt. By now, the Scarlets were a broken team, their discipline fraying further when replacement Macs Page was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on as the Stormers threatened yet another score.
Replacement scrum-half Imad Khan completed the rout five minutes from time, benefitting from another dominant Stormers scrum that shoved the home pack backwards. Khan had a clear run to the line down the blindside to claim the visitors’ fifth try. Wandisile Simelane could have added a sixth from an intercept off the final play, but was hauled down short of the line—a rare moment of defensive success for the beleaguered hosts.
The statistics told the story of complete Stormers dominance. In three matches, they have now scored 95 points whilst conceding just 10. This was only their second away victory in 12 months, but on this form they will fancy their chances in their upcoming Italian double-header against Zebre and Benetton. Roos was deservedly named man of the match, whilst the impressive mauling and scrummaging that has been a feature of their season continued to devastate opponents.
For the Scarlets, this was another sobering night that leaves them facing a daunting trip to South Africa for back-to-back fixtures, starting with the Lions in Johannesburg. The injury list continues to grow, with forwards Tristan Davies and Max Douglas both departing injured during the match. Captain Williams spoke before the game about having a back-line capable of striking fear into URC rivals, but they were barely afforded an opportunity to demonstrate their quality behind a pack that was comprehensively outgunned.
“It was very difficult,” Peel reflected. “I thought the Stormers were excellent. They are setting the standard in the league at the minute with wins over Leinster and Ospreys, and now us.”
The challenge for Peel’s squad is to regroup quickly from this chastening experience. The physical gulf exposed by the Stormers’ all-conquering pack must be addressed if the Scarlets are to compete with the URC’s elite sides. For now, though, the only statistics that matter are those on the scoreboard—and they make for grim reading for the men in scarlet.
Scarlets 0
Stormers 34 (Roos, de Villiers, van Heerden, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Khan tries; Feinberg-Mngomezulu 2 cons, Willemse con, Feinberg-Mngomezulu pen)
Yellow cards: Dixon (Stormers, 29 mins), Plumtree (Scarlets, 33 mins), Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers, 53-63 mins), Page (Scarlets, 72 mins)
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)
Attendance: 6,114
Player of the Match: Evan Roos (Stormers)
