United Rugby Championship: Stormers v Leinster

Stormers (6) 35

Tries: Ungerer, Roos, Ackermann, Matthee Cons: Matthee 3 Pens: Matthee 3

Leinster (0) 0

Champions Leinster’s defence of their United Rugby Championship crown got off to a hugely disappointing start as they suffered a chastening 35-0 trouncing by the Stormers at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday.

The enterprising South African side led 6-0 at half-time but four second-half tries to secure a bonus-point success provided a better reflection of their dominance of the game.

Stefan Ungerer, Evan Roos, Ruan Ackermann and Jurie Matthee all crossed for last year’s quarter-finalists while the Irish province had two players yellow-carded in the second period and failed to register a score.

Matthee ended with a personal tally of 20 points after also kicking three penalties and three conversions.

Leinster will hope for better when they face the Bulls on 4 October while the Stormers are at home to Ospreys one day previous.

Leinster had lost 42-12 on their last visit to the same stadium in April 2024 and were shorn of their British and Irish Lions contingent for this encounter.

Stormers were without Damian Willemse, Manoe Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who are all on Rugby Championship duty with the Springboks.

The home side dominated territory and possession in the first half and showed plenty of attacking flair but led by just six points at the break because of a combination of stout Leinster defence and errors and a lack of composure as they bore down on the line.

Matthee landed a sixth-minute penalty after a scrum infringement but was then off target with two further kicks at goal.

The Stormers fly-half also skewed a drop goal attempt wide as Leinster tried to keep the hosts at bay.

On 24 minutes Paul de Villiers went over from a rolling maul after a line-out but after consulting with the Television Match Official (TMO) referee Gianluca Gnecchi disallowed the score for obstruction at the maul by Adre Smith.

Matthee’s second penalty after 32 minutes made it 6-0 after James Culhane was penalise for not releasing.

Another flowing move by the Stormers saw wing Seabelo Senatla dive over in the corner but the score was ruled out for a forward pass in the build-up.

Matthee split the posts with another penalty two minutes into the second half and soon after scrum-half Ungerer barged over beside the posts for the first try of the game.

Sam Prendergast’s crossfield kick was tipped by a Stormers hand and the ball fell to Senatla, who made good ground and offloaded to Ungerer, who showed strength to carry two Leinster players over with him.

The TMO confirmed that the ball had been grounded and Matthee added the conversion.

The Stormers number 10 added a further penalty and after the hour mark Roos touched down following a maul from a lineout as further reward for his side’s superiority. Matthee again kicked the extras.

That score came immediately after Max Deegan had been sent to the sin-bin after a beleaguered Leinster had conceded two penalties in quick succession in their 22 and five minutes later Tommy O’Brien joined him on the sidelines for a head-high tackle on Senatla, reducing Leo Cullen’s side to 13 men.

Ruan Ackermann crossed for his team’s third try after the tried and tested maul procedure was executed again, Matthee contributing the additional two points to put 30 between the sides.

The bonus point score was not long in coming as Matthee ran in try number four and ultimately Leinster were relieved to hear the referee’s final whistle.

Stormers: Simelane; Senatla, Nel (capt), du Plessis, Zas; Matthee, Ungerer; Matongo, Venter, Fouche; Smith, Schickerling; de Villiers; Dixon; Roos.

Replacements: Kotze, Reid, Porthen, van Heerden, Ackermann, Theunissen, Duvenage, Swart.

Leinster: J O’Brien; T O’Brien, Henshaw, Frawley, Larmour; Prendergast, McGrath (capt); Boyle, McCarthy, Slimani, Mangan, Deeny, Baird, Penny, Culhane.

Replacements: McKee, P McCarthy, Sparrow, Deegan, Connors, Gunne, Byrne, Cooney.