Scored a try: Nic Groom
After two failed attempts, the Stormers finally got their first win of the 2013 Super Rugby season after beating the Chiefs 36-34 at Newlands on Saturday.
In a tight arm-wrestle, the hosts held off a late fightback from the defending champions to deposit four valuable points in the bank - despite being outscored four tries to three.
However, the boot of Stormers full-back Joe Pietersen ultimately proved the difference between the two sides and kept the home side ahead throughout a thrilling contest.
The hosts struck first through Pietersen, who was on hand once again to convert the Stormers opening try of the match when discarded Springbok speedster Gio Aplon came off his wing to take an Elton Janjties pass from close range to score.
Chiefs full-back Gareth Anscombe got his name on the scoresheet with a penalty of his own to close the gap slightly, before Pietersen added his second three-pointer moments later to steal back the Stormers' 10-point lead.
The vocal Newlands crowd were then silenced when the Chiefs hit back in typical fashion when centre Charlie Ngatai regathered a grubber kick ahead from Aaron Cruden for a well-earned try after sustained pressure on the Stormers line.
Anscombe's conversion made it a three-point (13-10) ball game, though the Chiefs could only watch helplessly as Pietersen's third penalty attempt sailed through the uprights in the 27th minute.
A yellow card to Chiefs halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow eight minutes from half-time handed three more points to the Stormers on a silver platter from the ensuing penalty and all of a sudden the hosts were once again in a reasonably comfortable lead (19-10).
But with half-time approaching, the defending champs hit back with another excellent and crucial converted try through centre Tim Nanai-Williams after collecting Cruden's stab through ahead (19-17).
The Stormers would have the final say before the break, however, when Aplon crossed over for his second try - converted by Pietersen - to take his team into the half-time sheds 26-17 ahead.
The second half belonged the Chiefs early on after the visitors were restored to 15 men and Anscombe punished a Stormers infringment to put his team back within six points (26-20).
But Stormers scrum-half Nic Groom soon brought the 37,000-strong crowd to their feet when he burrowed over for his first ever Super Rugby try that was duly converted by goal-kicking machine Pietersen (33-20).
Down but not out, the visitors were given a glimmer of hope when Ngatai bagged his second and replacement back Andrew Horwell crossed over for their respective converted scores in between another Pietersen penalty.
With just two points between the two sides, the Chiefs threatened to snatch a late victory. But when Nick Crosswell was yellow-carded in the 74th minute, the Stormers were able to contain the 14-man Chiefs and see out the rest of the match for a well-earned victory.
The scorers:
For Stormers:
Tries: Aplon 2, Groom
Cons: Pietersen 3
Pens: Pietersen 5
For Chiefs:
Tries: Ngatai 2, Nanai-Williams, Crosswell
Cons: Anscombe 4
Pens: Anscombe 2
Yellow card: Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs, 32 mins), Crosswell (Chiefs, 74mins)
Stormers: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers (c), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 De Kock Steenkamp, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Don Armand, 19 Nizaam Carr, 20 Dewaldt Duvenage, 21 Peter Grant, 22 Gerhard van den Heever.
Chiefs: 15 Gareth Anscombe, 14 Lelia Masaga, 13 Tim Nanai-Williams, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Liam Messam, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Tanerau Latimer, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke (c), 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Pauliasi Manu.
Replacements: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Ben Tameifuna, 18 Michael Fitzgerald, 19 Nick Crosswell, 20 Augustine Pulu, 21 Andrew Horrell, 22 Patrick Osborn.
By Dave Morris at Newlands
Comments
rolf says...
i have onjoyed very much indeed what i saw on my 15 inch monitor - basically the final 30 minutes.
Like last round, the chiefs pla part in a highly entertaining fast running match; very happy though the stormers were their mtach.
still i was surprised how many turnovers and fumbles happened on this level, but that is probably the price for this style of game. i do not mind at all.
A bit disturbing i find that it seems, Elton Jantijes does not really live up to the expecttions, it seems: being rpelaced by the ever reliable Peter Grant is noz exactly what a prodigy's fate shpuld be.
Posted 19:01 10th March 2013
philipjfry says...
Stormers should have gone blind from a scrum 5 meters out on 55min. Simple 8 - 9 pickup, wing (van den Heever) legs it for the corner. Possible bonus point lost. Plus they leaked four tries. In the long run the Chiefs could be the real winners. And how many times did JDV chip the ball? I counted six with only one putting the defense on the back foot. At least he attempted to beat people on the out-side for a change.
Posted 15:52 10th March 2013
Wallaroo says...
Kiwi's seem very contradictory, every time someone points out how atrocious one of their ref's was or that the said ref had been biased they take offence and sanction the voicing of an opinion. However when the shoe is on the other foot the gloves come on in force.
@passtheball no other teams don't do half the off the ball stuff that Kiwis do, the reason is simply Kiwis are the spoilt kids of the rugby world. While other sides have been held accountable the Kiwis have got away with stuff for ages. Look at the Reds game last week, heaps of off the ball stuff.
Posted 14:31 10th March 2013
passtheball says...
rugbyphile - NZ fans do moan a lot but .... one country's fans, when they didn't like the ref in the World Cup, sent the ref death threats! Also the Stormers 2 loses were against top SA teams - makes a difference.
Jester / flyman - And SA teams teams don't do those offenses you mention, only NZ teams? Perfect discipline - wow - By coincidence the SA commentators are of the same opinion as you. So it must be right then?
After viewing that game and especially the last few minutes its probably time to review neutral refs.
Posted 12:18 10th March 2013
side_stepper says...
It was a great game and could have gone either way..of course there were poor decisions but doesn't help with poor lineouts and indiscipline. I'm just grateful that two near-impossible feats happened: (1) 4 tries against the Stormers; (2) Stormers win by scoring tries.
And Cruden, you're a freak. Chiefs all the way!!
Posted 11:32 10th March 2013
Trinats2 says...
Stormers scoring a try !! Must have been up against poor defence !
"some weird decisions for sure..."
They are called correct decisions, for a change !
Posted 10:42 10th March 2013
Pearcewreck says...
How weak is the Kiwi conference,
Highlanders thrashed at home by the the Cheetahs!!!
Blues (who have already beaten the the Hurricanes and the Crusaders) beaten at home by the Bulls.
Chiefs lose away to the Stormers.
Posted 09:54 10th March 2013
Euskadi says...
Captivating game, Chiefs were their own worst enemies...ill discipline and malfunctioning lineout were the source of their demise...Pietersen duly converted the penalties and kept the Stormers ahead throughout the match. Chiefs have a red hot attack, 4 tries vs Stormers is no easy feat considering none of them were opportunist. Stormers were the more physical across the park, not sure what the possession/territory stats were but I imagine the Stormers were to the good in both. Well done Stormers but even on this showing I think the Chiefs are odds on favorites for back to backs even this early in the comp.
Posted 08:03 10th March 2013
Jester says...
The ref was fine but not perfect. The Chiefs had there opportunities and were warned countless times in the match for foul play what more can you ask for. I've noticed allot of off the ball incidents from the NZ teams this rounds. Highlanders & Chiefs taking defenders out off the ball or obstructive running lines from counter attacks. The players try and "Stand there ground" while the counter attacker uses them as shields.
Posted 07:32 10th March 2013
nefari says...
well anyway, the chiefs didn't deserve two points but they will likely leave south africa with seven points which is pretty good traveling in my opinion.
Posted 06:05 10th March 2013
nefari says...
but they continuously kept playing the players off the ball the yellow card was deserved. Good win for the stormers, but the chiefs won't be to disappointed, they lost half their lineout ball and still come away with two points while the stormers again couldn't get the fifth. It's just refreshing for a change to see the kiwi's blown for continuous infringements at the rucks and malls for a change.
Posted 06:02 10th March 2013
theGadflY says...
seems like NZ hav been given their own medicine
Posted 05:18 10th March 2013
passtheball says...
bigb6969 - there is no way the local ref will give the visitors a penalty, that would win the game, in front of the posts with time up.
Chiefs need to work on their lineout - it has only worked perfectly when young R Marshall played - already a standout player. And a 2:1 penalty count and two YCs - discipline will be talked about this week. The Chiefs attack was brilliant though especially against a "proper defense" like the Stormers.
Posted 03:01 10th March 2013
davodiablo says...
Would have been tough on either team to lose . Stormers got the rub in a great game .
Posted 01:09 10th March 2013
rugbyphile says...
When a Kiwi side loses the reaction is so predictable----to be fair the fans of a lot of losing sides tend to look for excuses, but compare the posts from Stormers fans after their first two losses---just cricism of their team's poor play for te most part.
There is a book about the first NZ tour of the UK a squillion years ago. They played brilliant stuff and set the UK rugby followers buzzing---but just lost one game and guess what, the book devotes considerable space to whinging about the ref in that game. Part of the proud NZ rugby culture-?--Susie the waitress, Wayne Barnes etc etc etc
To a better note, has the time arrived when Cruden is the No 1 above Carter? He showed how to crack the Stormers defence and other outside halves may be watching and learning.
Posted 23:46 09th March 2013
hellovanite says...
With the amount of ridiculously marginal and ambiguous penalties given in this match I had to wonder whether I was actually watching a game of rugby. In the first half and late second half some really questionable decisions were made, even some of the penalties given for slowing down the ball down had me scratching my head, the yellow card on Kerr-Barlow was also dumbfounding. He was on his feet when he grabbed the ball and then he was driven off it, from what I could see, he must have released at that stage, that is unless he has elastic arms. All you ask for from a match official is that they rule consistently! I expect total ambivalence from the commentators but that's where it ends
Posted 21:54 09th March 2013
flyman says...
What about all the off the ball stuff, swinging arms going into the losse and professional fouls that went unpunished??? Messam is a master of the dark arts.....
Posted 21:52 09th March 2013
ben7 says...
HAHAHAHA you Kiwi posters are such bad sports, just admit you were beaten by a better team on the day.
Well deserved win by the Stormers, they were always in control. Too powerful up front.
Posted 21:40 09th March 2013
jmanngod says...
a game the chiefs deserved to win that one... some weird decisions for sure...
Posted 19:09 09th March 2013
bigb6969 says...
What a crock from Peyper towards the end, an imaginative yellow card to say the least from Peyper on Crosswell, a stupid penalty yes but a yellow, the Chiefs had the ball under control and moving forward out of even goal kicking range of their line.
And final turnover 22 off his feet at the ruck, then he went again without releasing the ball, and should have been penalised himself, but I doubt you were gonna get a penalty decision at this stage in the republic
Posted 17:29 09th March 2013