Revealed: Why Springboks enforcer Eben Etzebeth was named 'Biggest Under-performer' from latest match

The Stormers struck first in dramatic fashion with Seabelo Senatla going in the corner for his first try of the season. Feinberg-Mngomezulu was unable to covert but was successful off the tee a few minutes later to give the men from Cape Town an eight-point advantage.

The advantage did not last very long with Manu Tshituka crashing over for the men from Durban just two minutes later, with Vusi Moyo unable to convert the extras.

An injury to Sharks fly-half Vusi Moyo saw Gianni Lombard enter the pitch and put the Sharks back on level terms in the 29th minute. The Sharks were then demoted to 14 men with Matt Romao receiving a yellow card for a high tackle just before the break.

The Stormers responded emphatically with Hacjivah Dayimani and Andre-Hugo Venter both going in before the half time break with Feinberg-Mngomezulu converting at both times of asking.

The Stormers picked up right where they left off in the second half with Leolin Zas scoring in the corner two minutes into the half and Hajcivah Dayimani going in for his brace just five minutes later.

The Sharks then began to show signs of life with Matt Romao and Phepsi Buthelezi both scoring within the space of seven minutes and Gianni Lombard converting the extras.

Unfortunately, for the men from Durban, this momentum was short lived as the Stormers responded once again, this time through the likes of JJ Kotze off the back of a rolling maul, securing the victory for the home side.

The DHL Stormers will without a doubt be looking to continue this dominance in their opening fixture of the Investec Champions Cup next week when they face off against the Bristol Bears.

The Sharks however will be looking to get back to their winning ways next week when they take the long journey to France to face off against Lyon O.U. in their opening fixture of the European Challenge Cup.

Tries: Senatla 5’, Dayimani 36’, 47’, Venter 40’, Zas 42’, Kotze 64’,

Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 37’, 40’,48’,

Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 13’,

Drop Goals:

Yellow Cards:

Red Cards:

Tries: Tshituka 15’, Romao 51’, Buthelezi 57’

Conversions: Lombard 52’, 58’,

Penalties: Lombard 29’,

Drop Goals:

Yellow Cards: Romao 35’,

Red Cards:

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was undoubtedly the standout player as the Stormers dismantled the Sharks by 39 points to 22 at DHL Stadium.

The young fly-half controlled the game brilliantly, dictating the tempo of the game and constantly putting the Sharks defence under pressure. Feinberg-Mngomezulu was composed, confident and extremely dangerous with ball in hand.

Additionally, his decision making helped the Stormers take advantage of dominance created by their forwards. Even though Feinberg-Mngomezulu was not at his best off the tee, his in-game play was enough for him to be voted Player of the Match. His performance today showed why he is becoming one of the most important players to both the DHL Stormers as well as the Springboks.

The biggest underperformer of this coastal derby in Cape Town was Eben Etzebeth. This must have been a hard pill to swallow for the Sharks, as he is one of their biggest leaders and physical forces and was instrumental in their Round 2 victory over Leinster.

However, against the Stormers, Etzebeth just did not have the influence that would normally be expected of him. The Sharks were dominated upfront, particularly at scrum time as well as in the maul, and Etzebeth struggled to impose himself on the game or to turn the momentum around for his team.

With the Sharks conceding 39 points and six tries, the more experienced forwards needed to provide much more resistance and Etzebeth was undoubtably one of the players that most people would have expected to step up, however that was not shown.

The Player to watch without a doubt is Hacjivah Dayimani. The Stormers eighth man put up an outstanding performance against the Sharks, scoring two tries and constantly making an impact with ball in hand.

What makes Dayimani so exciting is how dangerous he is when he gets in space, whilst still having the strength to make hard yards in the tight.

If Dayimani can consistently produce performances like this, he will surely become one of the Stormers most important players. Therefore, Hajcivah Dayimani is a vital player to watch as the Stormers’ season progresses.

1. Ntuthuko Mchunu (8)

2. Andre- Hugo Venter (8)

3. Wilco Louw (8)

4. Adre Smith (7)

5. JD Schickerling (7)

6. Paul de Villiers (9)

7. Siya Kolisi (7)

8. Hacjivah Dayimani (9)

9. Cobus Reinach (7)

10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (9)

11. Leolin Zas (8)

12. Johnathan Roche (7)

13. Ruhan Nel (8)

14. Seabelo Senatla (8)

15. Damian Willemse (9)

Replacements: 16. JJ Kotze (7) 17. Vernon Matongo (6) 18. Neethling Fouche (7) 19. Riley Norton (7) 20. Connor Evans (7) 21. Deon Fourie (8) 22. Haashim Pead (6) 23. Wandisile Simelane (7)

1. Ox Nche (4)

2. Eduan Swart (5)

3. Thomas du Toit (5)

4. Eben Etzebeth (4)

5. Darrien Landsberg (5)

6. Matt Romao (5)

7. Manu Tshituka (6)

8. Phepsi Buthelezi (7)

9. Jaden Hendrikse (6)

10. Vusi Moyo (3)

11. Ethan Hooker (5)

12. Andre Esterhuizen (6)

13. Jorenzo Julius (5)

14. Edwill van der Merwe (6)

15. Zekhethelo Siyaya (6)

Replacements: 16. Esethu Mnebelele (5) 17. Cameron Dawson (6) 18. Vincet Koch (7) 19. Jason Jenkins (7) 20. Stephan Lewies (6) 21. Nick Hatton (5) 22. Ivan van Zyl (6) 23. Gianni Lombard (7)

The Stormers’ dominance upfront was one of the main differences between the two sides. Their scrum gave Feinberg-Mngomezulu the ability to control the flow of the game and to put pressure on the Sharks’ defence.

Wilco Louw and Ntuthuko Mchunu deserve credit for their work at the set piece. They helped the Stormers control the key periods of the match and ultimately laid the foundation for their 39-22 victory.

The Sharks struggled to maintain their composure at key moments, allowing the Stormers to build momentum when opportunities presented themselves.

Rather than simply blaming the result on individual mistakes, the bigger issue was how the Sharks’ discipline and defensive structure would just disappear under pressure. Against a side like the Stormers even a slight loss in discipline could prove to be crucial.

3. The Stormers’ rolling maul was a serious weapon

Whilst the Stormers’ backline produced some exciting attacking rugby, the forwards did plenty of the damage.

Their rolling maul created many opportunities close to the try line and showcased just how difficult they are to stop when their maul functions properly. It is a vitally important weapon heading into the coming months, especially against sides that struggle to maintain their physicality around the set piece.

Dayimani’s two tries grabbed the headlines, however, his overall contribution to the game was just as impressive.

His ability to find space, support the ball carrier and disrupt the Sharks’ defensive line made him a constant threat throughout the game. With the November internationals fast approaching, performances like this will only strengthen his case for opportunities at the highest level.

Despite an impressive 39-22 victory, the Stormers were not flawless. The Sharks managed to fight their way back into the contest after falling behind. This showed moments when the home side struggled to maintain their defensive intensity. The Stormers will want to fix these issues before facing a stronger opposition.