The Stormers XXIII secured a 36-28 Currie Cup win over the Sharks XV at DHL Stadium on Saturday, grinding through a stop-start contest before pulling clear in the final quarter to claim their second win in three starts.
The match will be remembered as much for the performances of two Junior World Championship-winning teammates now on opposite sides. Markus Muller, for the Stormers, and Luan Gilliomee, for the Sharks, both underscored why they are regarded as among the most promising young players in South African rugby after helping the Junior Springboks claim the World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia weeks ago.
Gilliomee, who will join the Bulls at the end of December, justified JP Pietersen's early faith in him with two incisive first-half assists that created tries for the Sharks. His most eye-catching contribution came when he cut a brilliant line off a pop pass from Tim Swiel to set up scrumhalf Ross Braude for a try.
Muller — widely regarded as the standout Craven Week talent of last year — responded in kind, adding to strong defensive work with a try of his own that highlighted the balanced skill set that has generated so much excitement around him since his URC debut as a replacement against Glasgow Warriors this past season.
The Sharks drew first blood when wing Lyle Matthews finished in the corner after a sharp short-side touch from Gilliomee, with Swiel converting for 7-0. The Stormers responded within three minutes through hooker Vernon Paulo driving over from a penalty-set attack, before No 8 Wandile Mlaba crashed over off an attacking lineout — set up by another scrum penalty — to give the hosts a 14-7 lead with Kyle Smith converting.
Mlaba was a consistent presence off the back of the Stormers scrum throughout and was awarded man of the match, with the Sharks winning the possession battle through the middle stages but failing to capitalise on repeated visits to the Stormers 22.
The Stormers' indiscipline remained a concern — conceding seven penalties to the Sharks' four in the first half alone — and the Sharks scrum began reasserting itself late in the half. The hosts nevertheless managed the game well enough to press home their advantage in the closing quarter and run out eight-point winners.