Hayden the hero as Sunwolves sink Stormers

Sunwolves flyhalf Hayden Parker’s unerring boot sunk the Stormers in Hong Kong for a historic Super Rugby victory.

Parker kicked an injury time drop goal to secure a 26-23 win after the Stormers had lead 17-7 at halftime.

Stormers wing Dillyn Lleyds scored two tries for the Stormers.

This was the Stormers eighth defeat in 13 matches and the side are still to win away from home this season. It was also the Stormers sixth successive defeat outside of South Africa, with the last win being in Round Five (in 2017) against the Sunwolves.

Parker, formerly of the Highlanders, kicked a Sunwolves record 36 points in last weekend’s win against the Reds, and this is the first time the Sunwolves have won two successive matches in the tournament. The Sunwolves are bottom of the Australian Conference.

South African-born former Lions loose-forward Willie Brits captained the Sunwolves, whose squad included 15 players born outside of Japan. South African-born lock Grant Hattingh also scored a try.

This was also the Sunwolves first win in five attempts against the Stormers, with their previous best having been a draw.

LIVE MATCH CENTRE

Sunwolves

Tries: Hayden Parker, Grant Hattingh

Conversions: Parker (2)

Penalties: Parker (3)

Drop goal: Parker

Stormers

Tries: Dillyn Leyds (2), JJ Engelbrecht

Conversions: Jean-Luc du Plessis

Penalties: SP Marais (2)

Teams

Sunwolves

15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Kenki Fukuoka, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Michael Little, 11 Akihito Yamada, 10 Hayden Parker, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Edward Quirk (captain), 6 Michael Leitch, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Takuma Asahara, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Shintaro Ishihara

Substitutes: 16 Jaba Bregvadze 17 Craig Millar, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Uwe Helu, 20 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 21 Yutaka Nagare, 22 Yu Tamura, 23 Jason Emery

Stormers

15 SP Marais, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Jean-Luc du Plessis, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Cobus Wiese, 6 Kobus van Dyk, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Chris van Zyl (captain), 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Ramone Samuels, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg

Substitutes: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Carlu Sadie, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Jan de Klerk, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 EW Viljoen

Commentary

• Hayden Parker has kicked a drop goal.
•  It’s all over! The referee has blown his whistle to end the game.
• 80+2‘Kenki Fukuoka makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 80+2‘Sunwolves have won 80 rucks so far this game.
• 80+1‘Stormers have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 79‘Hayden Parker adds the points for Sunwolves.
• 79‘Albertus De Wet comes on.
• 79‘Dewaldt Duvenage comes off.
• 74‘Jaba Bregvadze comes on.
• 74‘Shota Horie comes off.
• 73‘SP Marais does the business as his penalty goal attempt goes over.
• 71‘Fabulous play by Sunwolves has led to Ed Quirk being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 70‘Yu Tamura comes on.
• 70‘Michael Little comes off.
• 70‘Sunwolves decide to make a substitution, with Hencus van Wyk getting some game time.
• 70‘Sunwolves decide to make a substitution, with Takuma Asahara being replaced.
• 70‘SP Marais makes no mistake with that penalty goal attempt.
• 68‘Stormers make a substitution with Raymond Rhule coming on.
• 68‘Stormers make a substitution with Jean-Luc du Plessis coming off.
• 68‘Stormers sub Siyabonga Ntubeni comes onto the field.
• 68‘Ramone Samuels departs for Stormers.
• 67‘Sunwolves have won 60 rucks so far this game.
• 64‘Hayden Parker kicks the penalty.
• 64‘Jan de Klerk comes on for Stormers.
• 64‘Chris Van Zyl leaves the field.
• 62‘Shota Horie has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 62‘Pieter-Steph du Toit has made 10 good tackles so far this game.
• 60‘Sikhumbuzo Notshe comes on.
• 60‘Nizaam Carr comes off.
• 59‘Stormers have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 57‘Hayden Parker makes no mistake with that conversion attempt.
• 57‘That’s a great try assist by Michael Leitch.
• 57‘Siya Kolisi comes on.
• 57‘Cobus Wiese comes off.
• 57‘Frans Malherbe comes on.
• 57‘Wilco Louw comes off.
• 56‘Trouble here as Michael Leitch breaches the defence.
• 56‘A series of passes by Sunwolves results in a try for Grant Hattingh.
• 53‘This is dangerous for the defence as Dillyn Leyds bursts through to advance the Stormers attack.
• 49‘Sunwolves decide to make a substitution, with Uwe Helu getting some game time.
• 49‘Sunwolves decide to make a substitution, with Sam Wykes being replaced.
• 49‘Sunwolves make a substitution with Yutaka Nagare coming on.
• 49‘Sunwolves make a substitution with Fumiaki Tanaka coming off.
• 47‘Sunwolves have won 40 rucks so far this game.
• 46‘Sunwolves sub Yoshitaka Tokunaga comes onto the field.
• 46‘Willie Britz departs for Sunwolves.
• 46‘Jason Emery comes on for Sunwolves.
• 46‘Akihito Yamada leaves the field.
• 40‘Craig Millar comes on.
• 40‘Shintaro Ishihara comes off.
• 40‘A gap opened in the defence and Timothy Lafaele took full advantage.
• 40‘The second half is underway.
• 40+2‘The half-time whistle blows and both teams’ head for the dressing rooms.
• 40+1‘The defensive line has been broken as JJ Engelbrecht goes through the gap.
• 37‘Hayden Parker has kicked a penalty goal.
• 32‘Jean-Luc du Plessis hits the right post with the conversion, failing to add the two points.
• 32‘The kick through from Stormers has allowed Dillyn Leyds to touch down.
• 31‘What a run here by Nizaam Carr as they gets over the gainline!.
• 31‘Jean-Luc du Plessis makes the break as the defence re-enacts the parting of the red sea.
• 29‘Stormers have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 28‘Fabulous play by Stormers has led to Dewaldt Duvenage being able to wriggle through a gap.
• 25‘Sunwolves have won 20 rucks so far this game.
• 24‘Hayden Parker converts the try.
• 24‘Timothy Lafaele sets up the try.
• 23‘Great hands by Sunwolves leads to a try for Hayden Parker.
• 23‘Trouble here as Fumiaki Tanaka breaches the defence.
• 22‘Jean-Luc du Plessis has kicked a conversion.
• 21‘This is dangerous for the defence as JJ Engelbrecht bursts through to advance the Stormers attack.
• 20‘JJ Engelbrecht intercepts the pass to race ahead and score the try for Stormers.
• 17‘A gap opened in the defence and Seabelo Senatla took full advantage.
• 8‘Jean-Luc du Plessis has hooked the conversion to the left of the posts.
• 5‘A stunning solo try from Dillyn Leyds.
• 5‘The defensive line has been broken as Dillyn Leyds goes through the gap.
•  We are underway as the referee blows his whistle.