Rugby: Stormers heap misery on Reds

CAPE TOWN - Flanker Luke Watson and wing Brent Russell each scored two tries when the Stormers beat Queensland Reds 37-24 in a Super 14 match on Saunday.

Stormers first five-eighths Peter Grant kicked 12 points and number eight Joe van Niekerk also scored a try as the Reds lost for the 10th time this season.

Watson found a gaping hole on the openside of a goalline ruck to cross in the 25th minute, the Reds' problems being compounded when prop David Te Moana was sin-binned for collapsing the preceding maul.

A minute later, Watson crossed for a second time from a similar distance when Van Niekerk broke from the back of a five-metre scrum and turned the ball back inside to the flanker.

Russell's first was scored from 90 metres three minutes into the second half and all but settled the game.

The Reds turned over the ball on the Stormers' goalline and Van Niekerk, centre De Wet Barry and Russell combined down the touchline for the winger to score.

His second followed the first of the Reds' two tries. Centre Ben Tune thundered down the left touchline from halfway to score in the 57th minute and briefly raise the Reds' hopes.

They were dashed straight from the restart. The kickoff was collected by Reds wing Andrew Walker whose clearing kick was charged down by Russell and the wing won the race to the loose ball in the in-goal area to score the bonus-point try.

Van Niekerk claimed the Stormers' fifth in the left-hand corner when two long passes gave him the overlap.

The Reds had the final word when they worked a move at the front of a five-metre lineout to score their second try three minutes from time.

Reds fullback Clinton Shifcofske kicked four penalties and a conversion.

- REUTERS