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The Stormers were made to work very hard for a 16-14 Super Rugby win over the Cheetahs at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday.
After being outplayed in the first half, the Cheetahs launched a thrilling comeback to eventually outscore their hosts two tries to one.
The Stormers led 16-0 at the interval thanks to a try from lock Eben Etzebeth and the ever-accurate boot of fly-half Peter Grant.
But the Cheetahs bounced back in the second period via tries from Hennie Daniller and Willie le Roux to narrow the gap to just two points deep into the final quarter.
The home defence held firm in the closing stages however as the Stormers maintained their unbeaten record at Newlands this year.
The result leaves the Stormers in fourth place in the overall standings and second in the South African conference, one point behind the tournament leaders the Bulls.
Coach Allister Coetzee will be far from happy with his team's performance though. To make matters worse, the back-row crisis in Cape Town deepened after number eight Nizaam Carr was forced off with a knee injury in the first half.
Both teams can also expect a call from the citing commissioner after a mass brawl in the second half tainted what had been an entertaining game.
The Stormers will host the Waratahs next week and the Cheetahs will host the Sharks in Bloemfontein.
The scorers:
For Stormers:
Try: Etzebeth
Con: Grant
Pens: Grant 3
For Cheetahs:
Tries: Daniller, le Roux
Cons: Smit 2
Yellow card: Elstadt (Stormers - 55th min - foul play)
Stormers: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker (c), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Frans Malherbe, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.
Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Cameron Jacobs, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Willie le Roux, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Piet van Zyl, 8 Philip van der Walt, 7 Justin Downey, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 George Earle, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 1 Coenie Oosthuizen.
Replacements: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Andries Ferreira, 19 Ashley Johnson, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Riaan Smit, 22 Philip Snyman.
Comments
pikes says...
even though its a disapointing match ... I beleive the Stormers are the team to beat! They play poorly but still win matches and to top it off they have so much injuries every week! Cant wait to see them hit there straps ....
Posted 08:53 15th May 2012
carpelone says...
Stormers need to improve a lot.
Posted 16:54 13th May 2012
Bokrocker says...
Ebersohn needs to sit back a while, no doubt he has talent but his confidence is shattered after that terrible mistake two weeks back. Who would not feel horrible after missing a ball from right in front of the post and the opposing team winning from a similar spot on the opposite side of the field. I think dropping him will damage his confidence completely but knowing the Cheetahs they tend to build talent and he will have support from the fellows. Although a Bull supporter I agree that the Stormers deserve that top spot and am really impressed with their rock solid defense. Even though they have an impressive back line they lack flair which is the reason for less bonus points, a problem most South Africans sides face. Like we use to say at Loftus, swing, swing,swing. Phil, being a South African of British descent I cannot speak on Afrikaner male virility as you call it, but having played rugby with the fellows I know they are rock hard and generally fearless except that a form of rugby developed during the years of isolation which is still very much ingrained in the rugby culture including the kick in chase but one can see, as a new generation of rugby players emerge in South Africa and as in the case with the Sharks, a new style of play is developing which is more ballanced. Good luck to all the teams in the coming weeks.
Posted 10:24 13th May 2012
BokAvenger says...
Don't want to take anything away from the Stormers but if Goosen had played at 10 instead of Sias Ebersohn (who had another shocker) I think the Cheetahs would have won
Posted 07:19 13th May 2012
Wallaroo says...
The Cheetahs just can't seem to cop a break, they play with heart and soul. Having said this the Stormers seem to have an invisible steel wall, unbelievable defense.
I know it's a long shot but I'm hoping that the Stormers meet the Brumbies in the final, IMO the Brumbies have a chance of breaking their defense.
Posted 05:44 13th May 2012
rugby_lord says...
The Stormers are still winning. When Burger and Duanne V. come back, they will have more grunt. Stormers will be very hard to beat at Newlands.
Posted 04:11 13th May 2012
isthatrightref says...
Stormers have to be worried about their inability to bag bonus points: 2nd best win ratio in the comp but 2nd in their conf, something's wrong with that picture... will be too good for 'tahs next week but both Bulls & Sharks would have to fancy themselves in the 2 after that - Stormers for 5th at the June Test break?
Posted 03:24 13th May 2012
philipjfry says...
@Bokrocker: I think it has to do with Afrikaner male virility to be perfectly honest. I don't think the players want to be seen making mistakes, so when isolated (as you are in your 22 with 15 opposition players charging up the field towards you) you kick the ball away, relinquishing all responsibly for it. Why Afrikaner males I hear you ask in disgust? Look deep son...
Posted 00:15 13th May 2012
Zandberg says...
Isn't the conference system a farce?! Bulls and Stormers should be in 1st & 2nd place! It is grossly unfair.
Correct Bokrocker about the futility of most high kicks. The Cheetahs also threw the game against the Highlanders away with this tactic. And the Springboks so many times - especially 2010 season against New Zeeland. Having said that I was surprised to see Crusaders throw their game away and they also had some unnecessary high kicks.
Posted 22:51 12th May 2012
Bokrocker says...
If the Bulls are not playing their best rugby and they Top the log then I wonder how other teams will fare if they were playing their best. I think weve seen what they are capable of and it could even blow a great team to smithers not forgetting some monster scores. Great to see the Sharks rise and although the Stormers look a bit worn thin I believe they will be in the finals and a tough team to beat.
Posted 20:42 12th May 2012
Bokrocker says...
The Cheetahs kicked themselves out of the game in the last ten minutes and after putting the Stormers on the back foot brilliantly. With every kick into the Stormers quarter they would send the Cheetahs back further and further removing all pressure and putting the Cheetah defenders on the back foot. If they held the ball in hand during that crucial period when they had the Stormers scramble to defend their line it could well have been a very different ending but instead the back line reverted to the kick and chase tactic which backfired badly and showed how coaching in South Africa still teaches young players to depend on this tactic too much. Weve seen it over the years hurt the springboks as players employ this mindless tactic and i hope Heyneke addresses this but doubt it seeing that it is also a tactic the Bulls have used so much in the past. Although it has proven a usefull tactic at times its overuse by South African sides has cost teams dearly and the stats show that clearly. I was impressed with the Sharks earlier who played a more ballanced style of rugby against the Force showing that the coaching team has the right vision and are doing a good job.
We know the reason why New Zealand has done so welll against the Boks is because we gift them so many free balls to run at us, and poorly kicked ones which always seem to land in a spot best for for a team to launch an attack from. Certainly it is time for a change!?
Posted 20:34 12th May 2012
philipjfry says...
@bloemboy: 'The fact that the top 9 have 4 SA, 4 Kiwi and only 1 Aussie team is also a very fair reflection of there the Aussies are at the moment.'
I hope you are right about the Wallabies. Our boys need to beat them. Badly.
Posted 20:30 12th May 2012
bloemboy says...
It was sad to see Ebershon play like that. He is such a talented player and I hope he regains his confidence and his form. Kudos to the Stormers defence which was immense. If only the Cheetahs had taken the 2 kicks at posts (and put them over) in the first half they could have gone in with 6 points and would then have won the game. At this level you have to take the points when on offer.
3 Saffa sides in the top 6 is a good indicator of where we are at the moment. The fact that the top 9 have 4 SA, 4 Kiwi and only 1 Aussie team is also a very fair reflection of there the Aussies are at the moment.
I am really hoping that we have an all SA final this year, though the Chiefs look the team to beat. The Bulls and the Stormers are not playing their best rugby at the moment and I hope they come good in the knockout phase.
I hope neither side need to lose players due to the white card.
Posted 20:15 12th May 2012
JayStarr says...
I'm glad Jean de Villiers said that such a performance is just not acceptable - and that they will not get anywhere in the competition playing like this... Because now I don't have anything left to say.
Posted 20:13 12th May 2012
philipjfry says...
Jirre I enjoyed this one. 25 continuous phases without conceding; that's a mammoth defense. But can you defend your way to a Super Rugby title?
Posted 20:10 12th May 2012