Like a cricket captain who throws the ball to a bowler who suddenly makes a breakthrough, DHL Stormers coach John Dobson’s early second half substitutions proved a turning point for his team as they ignited the surge to a 30-16 win over Clermont-Auvergne in their Heineken Champions Cup pool match at DHL Stadium.
It wasn’t going so well for the Stormers at halftime. Kade Wolhuter kicked a long-range penalty just short of the break to bring his team back into it, but the two halfbacks weren’t on top of their game as Clermont took a 6-3 lead into the halftime break.
It was inevitable that replacements would be made soon after the restart and, sure enough, not long after Wolhuter did his job - he is an extremely adept place-kicker - by levelling the scores at 6-all, on came Jean-Luc du Plessis.
So did Herschel Jantjies and his Springbok teammate Evan Roos. A penalty in front of the posts enabled Clermont to reclaim their three point lead, but that was their last look-in.
The new halfbacks brought greater directness at the back and Roos, who was celebrating his return to the Stormers team on his birthday, brought go-forward oomph.
Roos used his power to drive over in the 48th minute, in other words not long after coming on, and the Stormers were into a lead they were never to relinquish.
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— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
Evan Roos has only been on the pitch 90 seconds and he's scored a try! That's some #HeinekenChampionsCup debut ??
Not a bad way to celebrate your birthday on your return from injury ??
Check out our interview with @THESTORMERS' 8?? before the season ??
Not long after that it was Jantjies’s turn to forward the case of the replacement players as he popped up in support of an impressive Suleiman Hartzenberg break to roll over near the corner flag for the Stormers’ second try.
You can't take your eyes off this @THESTORMERS team for a second! ????
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
Suleiman Hartzenberg breaks down the wing. He loses his shorts but keeps his composure to offload to Herschel Jantjies who provides a superb finish in the corner ??????#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/cWh0XK0MY5
In the matter of a few minutes the Stormers had gone from trailing to having some daylight between them and the French team on the scoreboard.
While the replacements ignited the Stormers, they had in Dan du Plessis a player who was playing out of his skin and is growing in stature with each passing week.
FIRST HALF A SCRAPPY AFFAIR
He was a constant thorn in the side of the visiting defensive system as well as being combative in defence, and he’d played a role in the Jantjies try, but it was his turn to do it all on his own as he weaved through the Clermont defence like his father Michael might have and went over for the try.
Cousin Jean-Luc kicked the conversion and suddenly the Stormers were over the hill and far away at 25-9 up. There is always an element of risk to the Stormers’ attacking approach, and a Clermont intercept try, which some might describe as leading to a 14-point swing as the Stormers were building up impressively on attack until Argentina Puma wing Bautista Delguy intercepted near his own 22, brought the French team briefly back into it at 25-16.
9??9?? Anticipation
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
9??9?? Pace
Bautista Delguy reads the pass, grabs the interception and sprints away from the Stormers players.
Is this a lifeline for @ASMOfficiel? #HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/JPqBloG314
The Stormers weren’t going to be denied though and neither was the energetic Deon Fourie, who had the ball in his hand when the Stormers drove over for a driving maul try that was so easily executed.
Du Plessis wasn’t able to convert, but 14 points was a good enough cushion and the Stormers already had their four- try bonus point to go with the win.
It means that the Stormers will definitely have a home game in the round of 16, as will the Sharks in the other section of the draw, and could still finish as high as second, which is where they managed to land themselves after the game.
There are still matches to come and that is likely to change, but an appreciative DHL Stadium crowd does have at least a round of 16 game to look forward to in the first weekend of April.
As entertaining as it was after halftime, the first half was a forgettable 40 minutes. Clermont hadn’t exactly sent their second team, but they have a crucial Top 14 derby against Lyon in their immediate future next weekend, and sent a mix and match team that was always going to defend tenaciously, particularly following the midweek change in coach.
That led to it being a scrappy affair, with Anthony Belleau kicking two penalties to take a 6-0 lead that would have imbued his team with even greater motivation to hold the hosts.
Yet, somehow, even though the French side was strong in the collisions in the first half and giving the Stormers little room to play with, it felt like the Stormers would grind them down in the end.
It was the introduction of the more direct flyhalf Du Plessis though, coupled with the drive brought by Roos, that ensured that expectation became reality. Dobson’s change of bowling, to return to the cricketing analogy, worked a treat.
A bonus point win earlier for @THESTORMERS means that, not only have they qualified for the #HeinekenChampionsCup Round of 16, but they have guaranteed themselves a home tie ? pic.twitter.com/kSEBDzw6tZ
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) January 21, 2023
Scores
DHL Stormers 30 - Tries: Evan Roos, Herschel Jantjies, Dan du Plessis, Deon Fourie; Conversions: Jean-Luc du Plessis 2; Penalties: Kade Wolhuter 2.
Clermont-Auvergne 16 - Try: Bautista Delguy; Conversion: Anthony Belleau; Penalties: Anthony Belleau.