Sunday Snippets

Scarlets down Leinster: Welsh outfit the Scarlets recorded an impressive 23-13 victory over Leinster in the Guinness Pro12 yesterday. Despite going behind early on, courtesy of a Ben Te’o try for the visitors, the home side dragged themselves back into the encounter in the second period, putting in a quality second forty performance to clinch the crucial win which keeps the club’s top six hopes alive. Tries from John Barclay, Jordan Williams and Rory Pitman would prove the difference in the second quarter, with Steve Shingler and Rhys Priestland both excelling as the game opened up. Aside from the efforts from the boot of Jimmy Gopperth, the second half never really got going for the visitors and despite a late surge to get themselves back into the contest, nothing of note ever materialised, leaving Matt O’Connor’s men nursing yet another loss in the Pro12. 

Stormers excel in Cape Town: Super Rugby played host to yet another feisty South African derby game yesterday, as home side the Stormers dismantled the Sharks at Newlands. In what was to be the hosts’ fourth win of the season to date, it took a moment of individual brilliance to break the initial deadlock and rookie winger Johnny Kotze would be the man to provide it. A kick ahead from Demetri Catrakilis saw Kotze speed past Lwazi Mvovo to ground the ball underneath the posts. The Sharks would come back almost instantaneously however, with Pat Lambie going for a five pointer after Nic Groom had seen yellow for the home side. From then onwards however, it became a case of one way traffic, with the home side playing a faster tempo than their Springbok studded opponents could match. Despite their dominance, the home side could only muster a second try, this time courtesy of the referee, who adjudged Cobus Reinach to have played the ball deliberately from an offside position, in order to prevent a try being scored. A penalty try was awarded and the home side had their win sealed. An impressive victory for Allister Coetzee’s outfit and another sign that the Stormers may well be South Africa’s best hopes for a Super Rugby win.

Ryan Sheady