The first half proved to be a tight affair as both teams tried hard to gain ascendency and breach the defence, but only 10 points were scored in the first half with Cell C Sharks flyhalf Joaquín Díaz Bonilla kicking a solitary penalty goal and DHL Stormers wing Seabelo Senatla scoring a pearler for the home side to hand them a 7-3 halftime lead.

The Capetonians kept the scoreboard ticking in the second half, while their effective defence limited the visitors to a converted try for their efforts, which allowed them to secure their second win this year.

Both sides had other opportunities to score points in the first half but handling errors and a missed penalty goal attempt by Bonilla resulted in a tightly-contested first half.

Bonilla kicked the first points of the match in the 19^th minute after Springbok wing Makazole Mapimpi battled to gather a pass by his boot laces with an open tryline.

The Capetonians retaliated with some encouraging attacking play, but a knock-on cost them a chance to score in the third quarter, and the Cell C Sharks also missed out on a chance minutes later as Bonilla missed a three-pointer in the 34^th minute.

Lukhanyo Am with an offload.

Senatla, however, nudged the DHL Stormers into the lead with a stunning try in the 36^th minute after he received the ball out wide and put through a beautiful grubber kick, which he gathered with ease to touch down. Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers flyhalf) added the conversion to hand the home side a 7-3 halftime lead.

The DHL Stormers picked up where they left off early in the second half with Libbok kicking a penalty goal shortly after another try attempt went amiss as Ruhan Nel was ruled to have knocked on the ball before dotting it down over the tryline.

Lock Adre Smith added their second try shortly after from some good forward play and Libbok’s conversion handed them a handy 17-3 lead.

The Durbanites reduced their deficit on the scoreboard to seven points early in the fourth quarter as Grant Williams (scrumhalf) held off a defender to dot down following a great break and pass by Jeremy Ward (centre) and Boeta Chamberlain (replacement flyhalf) added the conversion, setting the scene for a gripping finish to the match.

Libbok extended the hosts’ lead to 10 points with a penalty goal with 10 minutes left to play, and despite both sides trying hard to add to their points tally in the dying minutes, the DHL Stormers walked away with the 20-10 victory.

Scorers:

DHL Stormers 20 (7) – Tries: Seabelo Senatla, Adre Smith. Conversions: Manie Libbok (2). Penalty goals: Libbok (2).

Cell C Sharks 10 (3) - Try: Grant Williams. Conversion: Boeta Chamberlain. Penalty goal: Joaquín Díaz Bonilla.