The Cape-based side remain unbeaten in the URC this season.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored a brace of tries and bagged a personal points haul of 16 as the Stormers defeated Zebre to remain unbeaten in the URC so far this season.
While it wasn’t a classic, the Cape side rarely looked particularly troubled by Zebre and left Parma with a 31-13 bonus point win – their second on their three-match tour.
It was a wild and frantic start to the match, with Zebre putting pressure on the Stormers line following a mistake from the kick-off.
The visitors however managed to weather the storm, and after five minutes, burrowed over the line courtesy of flanker Paul de Villiers.
An errant pass from fullback Warrick Gelant was intercepted by winger Mirko Belloni and he crossed the tryline untouched. Giacomo Da Re was on target with the conversion.
With three minutes to go before the halftime break, Feinberg-Mngomezulu collected his own high ball, beat several defenders and crashed over under the crossbar to give the Stormers a 12-7 lead.
The Stormers continued the dominance of their hosts as the second half got under way, but the Italians did well to repel wave after wave of Stormers attack. Eventually the resistance crumbled and Feinberg-Mngomezulu dove over for his second try of the night. He was however unable to add the extra two points.
The Stormers backs started to find some fluidity. Gelant – in his first game back after a long stint on the sidelines due to injury – rounded off a backline move close to the Zebre line.
Da Re’s boot kept Zebre within touching distance, with the pivot slotting two penalty goals early in the final quarter. But on the stroke of full-time, Stormers captain Ruhan Nel intercepted a loose pass near the Zebre tryline to canter over for the visitors’ fifth try.
The Stormers stay in Italy where they’ll prepare to take on Benetton in Treviso.
This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
