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Sorry Stormers embarrassed in Dunedin

Cape Town - The Stormers have been smashed by the Highlanders in a Super Rugby clash in Dunedin on Friday morning, going down 57-14

The Highlanders scored nine tries to the Stormers' two and had led 31-7 at half-time. 

AS IT HAPPENED: HIGHLANDERS 57-14 STORMERS

It is the second time in as many weeks that the Stormers have been on the receiving end of a thrashing after they were beaten 57-24 by the Crusaders in Christchurch this past Saturday. 

The Stormers had taken an early lead through a try from Nizaam Carr to go 7-0 up, but the joy was short-lived. 

Five tries and 31 unanswered points followed in the first half from the Highlanders, who capitalised on a combination of silly errors, poor defence and questionable decision making to punish a Stormers side that looked completely out of their depth. 

The Stormers this season have suggested that they are capable of challenging Kiwi opposition, but two games into their New Zealand tour and all of a sudden their 34-26 win over the Chiefs at Newlands on April 8 looks a distant memory.

Patrick Osborne scored down the left flank after Siya Kolisi had squandered a kick ahead, Waisake Naholo burst through a weak Stormers defence, Osborne grabbed his second after Robert du Preez had given away possession with a poorly executed up-and-under, Liam Squire crashed over when the Highlanders dominated a rolling maul and then Osborne turned provider with a neat offload as Rob Thompson scored under the posts. 

Those five tries came in a 27-minute period that, for the second week in a row, had seen the Stormers effectively defeated before half time. 

The Stormers began the second half completely dominating possession and territory for the first 10 minutes, but they could not transfer that pressure into points. 

The Highlanders, on the other hand, scored with their first venture into Stormers territory when a turnover and kick ahead from their own try line resulted in Naholo scoring his second. 

The Stormers continued to throw the ball around and did threaten the Highlanders line, but poor execution when it mattered most let them down during a 10-minute period where the hosts had lost prop Aki Seiuli to the sin-bin for a high tackle.

The Highlanders' seventh try came through No 7 Dillon Hunt when Aaron Smith launched a flat pass to his left that left the Stormers defence flat-footed. 

Marty Banks slotted the conversion and the scoreboard read 45-7. 

Replacement hooker Greg Pleasants-Tate brought up the 50 when he scored against the upright. 

The Stormers scored a consolation try five minutes from time when replacement scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage broke from the base of a scrum, but by then the damage had been done. 

There was time for one more Highlanders try - Matt Faddes hammering home the final nail in the Stormers coffin.

The result leaves the Stormers top of the Africa Conference 1 on 26 points while the Highlanders move to 28 points in the New Zealand Conference, though they remain in fourth place.

The Stormers must now pick themselves up for a trip to Wellington and clash against the Hurricanes next weekend, while the Highlanders are in Bloemfontein to take on the Cheetahs. 

Scorers:

Highlanders 57 (31)

Tries: Patrick Osborne (2), Waisake Naholo (2), Liam Squire, Rob Thompson, Dillon Hunt, Greg Pleasants-Tate, Matt Faddes

Conversions: Marty Banks (5), Fletcher Smith

Stormers 14 (7)

Tries: Nizaam Carr, Dewaldt Duvenage

Conversions: Robert du Preez (2)

Teams:

Highlanders

15 Ben Smith (captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Rob Thompson, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Marty Banks, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Dillon Hunt, 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Tom Franklin, 4 Alex Ainley, 3 Siosuia Halanukonuka, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown

Substitutes: 16 Greg Pleasants-Tate, 17 Aki Seiuli, 18 Siate Tokolahi, 19 Joe Wheeler, 20 Jackson Hemopo, 21 Kayne Hammington, 22 Fletcher Smith, 23 Matt Faddes

Stormers

15 SP Marais, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 EW Viljoen, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Jan de Klerk, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Oli Kebble

Substitutes: 16 Ramone Samuels, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Kobus van Dyk, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Dewaldt Duvenage, 22 Shaun Treeby, 23 Bjorn Basson

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