Stormers hit by nine-try blitz
VISITORS ROUTED BY RAMPANT HIGHLANDERS Cape Town outfit have no answer to onslaught.
The red-hot Highlanders ran in nine tries in a record 57-14 rout of the Stormers in Dunedin yesterday for their fifth straight Super Rugby victory. Fijian winger Patrick Osborne scored two tries and created another for centre Rob Thompson as the home side crossed five times in a first-half blitz.
Waisake Naholo and No 8 Liam Squire also crossed before the break with winger Naholo adding his second and flanker Dillon Hunt, Greg Pleasants-Tate and his fellow replacement Matt Faddes also scoring in the second half.
The Stormers scored the first and penultimate tries of the match through loose forward Nizaam Carr and replacement scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage.
Carr opened the scoring when he collected from captain Siya Kolisi in the seventh minute, but it was all downhill from then on.
Osborne scored his first after 12 minutes and a six minutes later Naholo put the home side ahead.
Banks missed the conversion but four minutes later Osborne went over again off a turnover.
Squire touched down to secure the bonus point on the half hour mark and Osborne held off two tacklers for an offload which set Thompson cantering away for the fifth try and a 31-7 half-time lead.
The Stormers had the upper hand at the start of the second half, but the home side broke 80 metres out of defence with a fortunate bounce of the ball leaving Naholo free to run in for his second try.
Flanker Hunt added the seventh try 15 minutes from the final whistle but there was still time for hooker Pleasants-Tate and back Faddes to add a gloss to the score. – AFP