The Stormers opened their Champions Cup campaign with a 49-12 bonus point win over Bristol Bears at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.
The home side scored seven tries and led 21-7 at half time. It was their second win in a row after they beat the Sharks a week earlier.
Winger Leolin Zas and inside centre Jonathan Roche scored two tries each. Seabelo Senatla, Warrick Gelant and André-Hugo Venter also crossed the line.
Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked all seven conversions. According to IOL, he only missed one penalty attempt, just before half time.
The Stormers won despite discipline problems. Hooker JJ Kotzé got a red card and Zas got a yellow card for a high tackle.
The home team played with 14 men for 20 minutes. At one stage they were down to 13 players.
Kotzé was sent off in his own 22m area while the Stormers defended a rolling maul. At the lineout that followed the penalty, Siya Kolisi stripped the ball from an attacker.
Senatla scored the first try in the seventh minute. He cut through the defence, stepped around the last defender and dived over in the corner.
Zas scored next after good attacking play by fullback Damian Willemse and Senatla. He picked up a pop pass off the ground from Senatla and ran in untouched.
The yellow card to Zas came after an intercept try by scrumhalf Cobus Reinach was ruled out. IOL reported that the tackler fell into Zas, but the TMO and referee still judged it dangerous.
Bristol then scored from a maul against the short-handed home side. Roche answered soon after, catching a high cross kick from Feinberg-Mngomezulu to score in the corner.
Later tries by Gelant, Venter and Zas came after long spells of attack. They secured the bonus point once the Stormers were three scores ahead.
IOL said the Stormers defence kept Bristol out in front of the try line many times, with Kolisi at the heart of it. Locks JD Schickerling and Adré Smith also disrupted the Bristol lineouts.
The report said the Stormers also made handling errors. Willemse dropped the ball with an open try line in front of him.
Joe Owen and Sol Moody scored the tries for Bristol Bears. Sam Worsley added one conversion as the English side went home with no league points.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Sport. Image: IOL Sport. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.