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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ben James

Stormers 34-26 Dragons: Welsh side rescue bonus point against champions with stunning second-half comeback

The Dragons recovered from a nightmare first-half against URC champions Stormers to rescue a bonus point in defeat in Cape Town.

The home side had their own bonus point wrapped up before the break as Dai Flanagan's men were left to rue an error-strewn first-half. Previously, you'd have been fearing what cricket score would be registered against the Rodney Parade outfit.

But Flanagan's side seem to have a little more steel about them, even if they made life considerably harder for themselves after 40 minutes. And tries from Jordan Williams, Aki Seiuli, JJ Hanrahan and Josh Reynolds rescued a four-try bonus point as they somehow turned a 28-0 deficit into something tangible.

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The Stormers took just nine minutes to open the scoring as Junior Pokomela powered over from a maul. It was a similar route for the second try as Joseph Dweba guided over a lineout drive on 16 minutes.

The third was a glorious team try just after the midway point of the first 40 minutes, with a series of offloads finished off by Ruhan Nel. Fly-half Marnie Libbok stepped his way over for the bonus point five minutes before the break.

Thankfully, the Dragons got a slight foothold in the game on the brink of half-time. Williams picked off a pass and raced away to ensure they troubled the scorers in the first-half.

They also opened the scoring in the second, with prop Seiuli forcing his way over from a powerful Dragons maul. However, a penalty before they could exit handed the Stormers an immediate three-point reply from the boot of Libbok.

The Dragons' work became considerably harder when wing Sio Tomkinson was sent to the sin-bin for a taking a Stormers player out off the ball. That allowed Libbok to extend the lead further.

However, Flanagan's side stayed in the fight and worked hard to get something in Cape Town. Ten minutes from time, some neat offloading put Hanrahan over.

And then, with just five minutes left to play, Reynolds broke free from another fast-moving maul to seal the four-try bonus point and cap a fine second-half comeback out in South Africa.

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